What's Done Isn't Done
by PrettyPurpleHaze
Summary: COMPLETE -- History has a funny way of repeating itself, even if it takes a couple hundred years. Becky/Tommy
1. Madam Goolee: Badass Fortune Teller

Title: What's Done Isn't Done  
  
Authors: Me and Bunny  
  
Distribultion: Ask first, but we're nice, we'll probably say yes.  
  
Disclaimer: We do NOT own or are associated with anything pertaining to Big Wolf on Campus. We know no actors, writers, or anything else. We just like to be silly and use the characters to laugh at. But we always put them back :)  
  
Summary: History has a funny way of repeating itself, even if it takes a couple hundred years. Becky/Tommy  
  
Important Author's Notes:  
  
From Bunny and I:  
  
It has come to our attention that Merton and Becky's parents are, in fact, Al from 'Quatum Leap' and Vanessa from 'Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery'. This make too much sense for you to aruge with us. We draw the conclusion from various little snippits as Merton's Dad being in the Navy and their parents never being around. Why does this make sense to us? . . . Too much laughing at the possibility when the idea first came up ;)  
  
From Me:  
  
There was some questions about the pairing of Tommy and Becky and some people asked me why I liked them. Simple, plain truth: She was the female on the show I liked the best and, though M/T slash can be very enjoyible, I just liked them better. I started watching late when Becky obviously did *not* look the age the show had for her so the ideas started around then, therefore in my fics I always alter the ages. I tend to screw with the charaters a lot to fit my view. Anyway, as always Becky is older, sixteen to Tommy's seventeen, I think. Enjoy. Reviews needed and begged for :)  
  
Part One  
  
Tommy walked through the beaded-curtain that served as a door--- well, really, got dragged more than walked...  
  
"Merton, I'm telling you, this is a load of *crap*."  
  
"Then why are you coming, Mr. Cynical?"  
  
"One, you begged. Two, I don't want you coming here by yourself and getting shafted or... something weird happening. Last time you wanted to do something nutty you ended up knocked-up by an alien---"  
  
"Tommy, could we not?" Merton asked softly.  
  
Tommy nodded, sighing and patted Merton on the neck apologetically; it was still a bit of a tender spot with the boy...  
  
"You have come to seek advice?" a voice piped up from the darkness.  
  
"Wow, she's good," Merton enthused. They headed over to the round table and sat down, Tommy a little more reluctant than his eager friend.  
  
She was at least forty, the 'fortune teller', her hair jet black with gray streaking through it giving her an air of mature wisdom. She wore a baggy, large sleeved, black dress draped with a green shawl and a bell embellished scarf on her head. Her face was only slightly weathered as she watched the ones before her with precarious eyes.  
  
"I am Madam Goolee, what have you come to seek?" she asked in her thickly accented voice.  
  
"Madam Goolee, I've come to find out my future," Merton said desperately. "I feel like something big is coming for me, namely *Oscar*."  
  
He opened his hands in a dramatic flourish and his eyes widened at the mention of the coveted movie award.  
  
Tommy sighed, not willing to watch some fraud bilk his best friend out of money only to get what he wished his future to be, not what was to come. As if she could have told him anything solid anyway, he could bet most of Merton's reading consisted of a 'tall, dark stranger'  
  
"You," she said, eyeing Tommy. "You vant to know of your future too."  
  
"No, not me, the moron with the money," Tommy nodded. Merton gave him an annoyed and hurt look.  
  
"Madam--"  
  
"Hush!" the woman warned Merton as she stared at Tommy. "You need to know what is to come before you make the same mistakes . . . For a price."  
  
Tommy let out a snorted laugh but Merton dug into his pockets, dropping a few bills on the table. The teller looked at the twenty dollars and then Merton before he sighed and dropped another ten. She seemed pleased and turned back to Tommy.  
  
"You have been through much, and your future begins in your past . . ."  
  
"Wow, you are good. Pick that up from a late night movie, did 'cha?"  
  
"Do not mock me, wolf-boy," she snapped at him.  
  
Tommy and Merton eyed her in wary shock now.  
  
"What are you---"  
  
"No games now. Drink tea."  
  
"I'm no longer sure that's saf---"  
  
"DRINK!!!"  
  
"Yes'um." Merton squeaked meekly, chugging his down, elbowing Tommy so that he'd do the same.  
  
"You feel okay, bud?" Tommy asked Merton quietly, eyeing him.  
  
"Just fine, no different..."  
  
But, suddenly, Merton's face and the entire room began to warp and distort...  
  
Tommy felt like someone had slammed into his body and he gasped in shock as he opened his eyes.  
  
He was in ... a stable? It smelled horrible and he looked down at his plain brown slacks that ended midcalf and the beige shirt before seeing the brush in his hand....  
  
The brush . . .  
  
He blinked again and opened his eyes. He had to brush the rest of these horses; he was already behind on his chores. But all worries of ramifications were forgotten when he saw her.  
  
His heart leapt as she came out, her creamy beige brocade draping over her body, hugging her curves in all the right places...  
  
It was . . . Becky?  
  
His first thought was to call her Beckers, but what came out of his mouth was...  
  
"Bellisima..."  
  
"Tate," she smiled.  
  
His hand brushed over her side and drew her to him, sweeping her back and kissing her passionately.  
  
He pulled back and looked breathlessly into her beautiful, blush-tinged face.  
  
"If the Duke---"  
  
"Shhhh..." she murmured, putting two fingers over his lips. "My husband can rot in hell--- and he may have me in name, but you own my heart, body and soul, my love... I'd rather spend an hour with you, and it be the last hour of my life, than one *minute* with him touching me..."  
  
"He isn't your husband yet," he said defiantly, finding something within him at the distasteful and sarcastic way the word came from her.  
  
Her face crumpled in tears and she turned away from him, moving to stoke Cupper, her favorite horse.  
  
"But he will be, and then . . ." She turned back to him and with her thick brown hair was pulled away from her face he saw the desperation in her eyes. "I can't give you up, Tate."  
  
She stated it strongly and sadly hopeless at once.  
  
Tommy gripped her arms, looking into her eyes almost desperately.  
  
"You won't..."  
  
"What if he makes me---"  
  
"He won't!" Tommy vowed. "I promise, Bell, Lucard will never touch you if I can help it..."  
  
"I love you, Tate, even if something happens--"  
  
"Nothing will happen!" he protested loudly before his voice fell to a soft whisper. "I'd give my life for you, Bell. I still remembered the first time I saw you."  
  
With Merton in the hallway at school . . . No . . . He shook his head, who was Merton? He saw Bell a week after she was sent here to this dismal castle. When she came to chose a horse to ride, more of a ruse to avoid the presence of the man her parents deemed good enough to be her betrothed -- a man that scared her without reason and was twenty years her senior.  
  
"Kiss me..." she whispered, almost pleading with him.  
  
But, she was asking for more than a simple kiss; they both knew that...  
  
The kiss began slowly, gently, deepening as their caresses began to become more frenzied, desperate... Tommy's eyes started to roll back as she moaned into his mouth and the room began to swirl, just as he started undoing her bodice...  
  
"WHAT was THAT?" Tommy asked as he once more felt beaten back into a body ... seeing Merton's absorbed face watching him he at least knew it was his own.  
  
"I don't know but it's my turn!" Merton said as he looked at Tommy. He had watched his best friend stare into nothingness before seeing him flush and sweat and gasp loudly like he just got tackled before yelling out his question.  
  
"No way. I want to go back," Tommy insisted to the smirking Madam Goolee.  
  
"It has already been done."  
  
"Not yet, *hence* the me wanting to return."  
  
"This is so cool," Merton cooed. "What did you see?"  
  
Tommy looked at him for a moment, the memory returning before he answered thoroughly confused.  
  
" . . . Becky." 


	2. Back Again

Part Two  
  
Tommy lay in the hot tub his parents had invested in, idly flicking the water a bit as he tried to remember every detail of whatever he had experienced hours ago. He had left the little dive of a building with shivers chasing up his spine and a disappointed Merton who was sour Madam Goolee deemed herself too 'worn out' to continue with anymore work.  
  
He shut his eyes and sunk a bit lower into the water, leaning his head back and stretching his legs out as the memories seemed to be chasing away and slipping from his mind at his tremendous attempt to recall them.  
  
"Damn, not like it could be as easy to go back as saying, 'return me'..." he muttered when he suddenly felt as if he were being pulled from himself, and slammed back in...  
  
"Who'd of thought that would wor--"  
  
"Theodore?"  
  
Tommy turned and looked at the smiling face before him . . . he had a feeling he wasn't in the same time or place.  
  
"Do come on, they're about to start the games!"  
  
It was Stacey before him with her red curls in a spilling upswept and a gown; silky with a tiny bow and band under her displayed cleavage. Stace . . . no . . . "Sarah?"  
  
"Oh, come on, Silly. We don't want to be late!"  
  
She grabbed his hand and dragged him over the hill to the group of perhaps twenty people sitting in the grass.  
  
He faintly recalled his own life, his own high school that forced him to watch 'Weuthering Heights' reminding him of the people before him. The movie ... Merton, yes, Merton cried at . . . But when was . . .  
  
"Theodore?" Sarah called again.  
  
He looked up with a smile and joined the gathering. It was a wonderful day for games with the fantastic weather they had been having. Sarah moved to indicate a place for him to sit but he chose a spot further away. She'd been sending him too many signals lately and he wanted it quite clear for her -- and their families -- not to expect a marriage for them.  
  
He smiled when *she* started to walk towards him, her blue-and-white cotton dress clinging to her in all the right places...  
  
Beck--- nope... "Bethany..." he breathed, standing up.  
  
"Strumpet approaching..." he heard Sarah to mutter, and shot her a dirty glare. But, it melted as soon as she approached.  
  
"Good morning, Theodore..."  
  
"A good morning to you. You're looking lovely today, Bethany."  
  
"Thank you," she answered politely with a demure nod.  
  
"Would you like to sit down?" he asked nervously. It wasn't proper for his station or age of twenty but he couldn't keep his excitable feelings at bay.  
  
"Yes, thank you." She took his hand and he helped her lower to the grass before joining her.  
  
"Okay all," a man with oddly spiked hair said from the middle of the group. He looked so familiar . . . Mer . . . Merritt, it was his friend and Bethany's cousin Merritt, though they acted more siblings than cousins . . .  
  
"Would you please say it, Merritt!" Sarah laughed when he carried on with trying to get the group's full attention.  
  
"What shall we play?" he asked.  
  
"A guessing game!" someone shouted.  
  
"Charades!" Bethany suggested.  
  
"A fine idea," Tommy said beside her with a grin. She seemed like she noticed just a bit before turning back to her cousin and seeming like she had seen nothing at all, tucking the thought away.  
  
The game commenced and Stacey was the first to pull a slip from a well-made hat. She smiled and rose to the center with a prepared air, handing the card to Merritt.  
  
At first she stood stony, a hand over her mouth before running around the area a bit with wordless screams. She swirled around, a hand poised to her forehead in great torment before heading immediately for Tommy. Sarah fell to his lap and clung to his jacket in mock fright as titters of laughter rippled around them.  
  
Becky seemed slightly awkward next to him and Tommy opened his mouth to throw anything out.  
  
"You're in trouble?"  
  
"Needs to be more specific, old boy," someone called out with a chuckle as Sarah continued her display, burrowing against him in a very unrefined but allowed fashion being a good-natured game was being played.  
  
"No, it will do," Merritt announced as he stood. "She was a 'damsel in distress'."  
  
Sarah turned quite upset, red staining her pale skin. "That is not fair!"  
  
"Yes, Merritt," a smiling woman said from the back. "We all could have guessed she was troubled."  
  
"Well, even if I did spoil the rules Sarah spoke, her turn ended then," he said cordially pleasing with an easy turn of his mouth. "From now on, though, we'll play by every rule."  
  
She objected to his twisting of the game code with a well heard noise as she finally removed herself from Tommy's lap and returned to her spot, much closer to the object of her affection than before.  
  
"But before we play by every rule," Merritt announced humorously, "I would like to pilfer the next turn, with Theodore's permission of course, being he guessed correctly."  
  
Tommy nodded with a smile and Merritt pulled his card and tucked it in his jacket pocket before dropping the hat.  
  
He seemed quite solemn, both hands resting on a hip before he seemed to grandly pull out an invisible sword and swing wildly.  
  
"A fighter!"  
  
"A dueler?"  
  
Everyone tittered as Merritt put on a good show of whipping and stabbing, pausing briefly to bow before his dear cousin. After the exaggerated display he was back to weaving and dodging as he slashed through the air with a, one would assume, trusty weapon.  
  
"A man attempting to escape a bee," Tommy quipped. His old friend stopped his wild movement to give him an annoyed expression while Bethany laughed softly and spoke up.  
  
"I must, regretfully, correct you, Theodore. Our Merritt is a fearless knight!"  
  
"Correct!" he said causing the gentle applause all around.  
  
"Perhaps you should help save Sarah!" someone called.  
  
"The perfect pair," Bethany said with a gaze to the red head suggesting she knew the implication bothered her, and that the girl wasn't good enough for her beloved cousin anyway.  
  
After a jester, a particularly difficult Queen of England, and a pirate it was Bethany's turn.  
  
She read her card with a little puckered frown, then shrugged and started doing regal waves and curtseys, sweeping her dress and dark hair dramatically.  
  
"A... a dancer?" Merritt called out uncertainly.  
  
Bethany shook her head and continued.  
  
"A doxie?" Sarah called out.  
  
"Sarah!" Tommy said in a harsh tone. Most of the group looked at her distastefully for being a lady and even saying such a thing in public.  
  
Bethany gave her a look that told of a regality to match her character, obviously feeling above Sarah's comments or thoughts that made the angry enemy dislike her even more.  
  
"Back to the game!" Merritt tried to smooth over.  
  
Bethany smiled at him as the rest of the group nodded and urged and Tommy gave Sarah one last disappointed look before his gaze fell back to the one in the circle. An easy smile slid onto his face as she began again.  
  
She bowed to members of the crowd receiving good-natured mocking nods and laughs. Her hand fell to hearts of people and then her own before moving grandly from one person to the next. When she bowed at Tommy she placed her hand on her heart again and when it fell upon his he moved to hold it there.  
  
With his fingers wrapped slightly around her he spoke up and as she stared at him expectantly and slightly startled.  
  
"I know it," he said in a final tone. "She's a Goddess."  
  
Becky smiled, feeling her knees begin to buckle under his gaze, looking at her as if he somehow knew what was underneath her shimmy...  
  
She pulled back timidly and moved away.  
  
Merritt rolled his eyes at his cousin and took her card. "Yes, the Goddess Aphrodite..."  
  
"The goddess of love..." he whispered, unable to tear his gaze away from her.  
  
Sarah seemed morose but she didn't say a thing, not willing to mention the guess was supposed to be more exact when the opportunity for more contact between the couple was presented if he tried more accurate descriptions.  
  
"O-kay... let's... commence to the refreshments..." Merritt said quickly, trying to steer the gossips eyes away from what might very well soon become a 'display'...  
  
As everyone started towards the food, Tommy took Bethany's wrist gently.  
  
"Did anyone ever tell you how... stunningly beautiful you are?"  
  
Bethany blushed.  
  
"You are most kind..." she murmured, looking away discreetly.  
  
"Would you consider ... going for a walk by the garden pond?"  
  
"Oh, I really shouldn't," she whispered. She had been warned against such things since she was a child, never go anywhere with a man unattended -- certainly not when you could feel the flush on your body at the prospect of being near him . . .  
  
But he knew Merritt, and even stayed with him at Knockson, her cousin's manor, since he began his visit three months ago.  
  
She looked at him, simply *knowing* he could sense her embarrassment.  
  
"I would like to know how you figured out I was a Goddess . . ."  
  
"Bethany, come along," Merritt called and she found herself thankful that the gathering today was all of their friends and not a sense of authority in sight. She already felt terribly guilty and she hadn't even done a thing!  
  
"Theodore, I made you're favorite dessert!" Sarah called as she made her way, unwanted, next to Merritt.  
  
Merritt gave Bethany her hint and then turned away, taking Sarah with him. Her dear cousin, looking out for her best interest and reputation.  
  
"You better go," Bethany said quietly. "Sarah made your favorite dish."  
  
"I do wonder what she thinks it is. She probably did retrieve the right recipe as she's been stalking my every action for three months."  
  
Bethany laughed and then put a demure hand over her mouth. "You shouldn't say such things."  
  
Tommy smiled.  
  
"I should indeed ... the truth is welcome, is it not? Besides, anything to get to hear that beautiful laugh of yours..."  
  
Bethany flushed and gave him a doe-eyed look; suddenly realizing he'd twined her fingers with his...  
  
"I..."  
  
"Come along." he winked, not having to even tug much to gently lead her off past the croquet grounds, towards the deserted pond in the lush rose garden, nearly hidden by the things growing around them. It made her a bit nervous, but, at the same time, she didn't want to be found...  
  
She felt horrid for having such thoughts but when he looked back smiling . . .  
  
"You may very well ruin my reputation," Bethany told him half-sighing.  
  
"Then I suppose I'll have to marry you then."  
  
Her eyes grew wide but she didn't believe he saw as he had already turned away. Pushing brush and lush full roses aside he brought her to stand beside the clear pond.  
  
"You're jesting, surely---"  
  
"Not a jest, Bethany . . . Would you consider marriage . . . to me?" he added slightly fidgety.  
  
Bethany could only nod, and then closed her eyes as his mouth captured hers, brushing his lips gently over her. She felt... as if she were hovering, floating, as she got lain down...  
  
He kissed her gently and it was her first. He was the only to ever touch her lips and she felt the fluttering within her move up to her chest, making her breathless.  
  
When she opened her eyes she was laying beside the pond, feeling the cotton edge of her gown soak in some of the water. Theodore was beside her, his hand holding her cheek like she was precious.  
  
She looked into his eyes and saw the happiness and . . . something . . . her mouth drooped a bit in realization.  
  
What was she doing lying beside a man? So many years of training gone . . . she was performing like a doxie! She sat up, water sloshing as the now heavy fabric swept around, splashing Theodore. A mention of marriage and she was beside his warm body! Did she have no pride?  
  
At his slightly humored look she had to think hard with that query. It made her want to fall beside him all over again. Why must he be so inviting? It was simply scandalous, the whole situation!  
  
"Forgive me."  
  
"Wait..." he frowned confusedly, reaching for the hem of her dress.  
  
"No … Please..." she begged. "Don't..."  
  
"Easy... I wouldn't hurt you... *Ever*..." he assured, pulling himself up and putting his hands on her upper arms.  
  
"I'm behaving... in an unladylike manner!"  
  
"No, you're not." he said, tilting her chin upwards to his mouth, to kiss her again. This time, though, they remained standing.  
  
"Bethany!" a voice boomed out.  
  
"Mr. Lucard..." she eeped out weakly.  
  
Tommy felt violent shudders go through her body, and his protective instinct was up in an instant.  
  
"Now, now, my dear child... you know you can call me Erik..."  
  
"I think I prefer Mr. Lucard..." she said stiffly.  
  
"I think I prefer you get the hell *out* of here." Tommy ground out, yanking Bethany behind him...  
  
"You have no idea what you are talking about, young man, so I'll thank you to keep silent," Anders warned in a deadly manner.  
  
He was an imposing figure. In his thirties he had lost all boyish charm, he was a hardened figure with black hair with indefinable eyes and a dark manor.  
  
"And I'll be obliged if you would leave," Tommy said matching his tone.  
  
"Of course, my boy," he said with a smirking overtone that told he saw the man before him as just that -- a *boy*. "I will leave you be . . . after I take the lady with me."  
  
"You'll not take her anywhere," Tommy said.  
  
"I must disagree. I won't leave her here to you and your ruinous behavior," Lucard boomed.  
  
"What's going on here?"  
  
"Merritt!" Bethany said thankfully.  
  
Merritt eyed his friend and cousin just briefly before his eyes fell upon the man before him. He never liked the overbearing personality of Mr. Lucard since he came upon their family and with the threatening nature he seemed to be showing it made his feelings no better.  
  
"I believe you were disturbing my friends," Merritt told him without shying away. He went to stand beside his childhood friend and stared at the practical stranger with hard eyes.  
  
"I understand," Lucard said with a slight bow.  
  
He was not frightened or put off by Merritt's strong stance in the least but he did not want to jeopardize his standing with the young woman hidden behind them.  
  
"Miss Lankin," he bowed to Bethany before a curt nod to the men. He replaced his wide rimmed hat upon his head and they watched the deep maroon of his jacket disappear through the vibrant green of the rose bushes.  
  
Merritt sighed, his easy nature returning as he turned back to his friends.  
  
"I suggest you both accompany me back to the picnic, Sarah herself is holding back the gossip for no other reason then to protect her future betrothed," he said pointedly to Tommy with a teasing turn of his lips.  
  
"Don't say such a thing!" he protested.  
  
"What? She has been after you since---"  
  
"Well, I just asked your cousin, providing your Uncle grants me permission?"  
  
Merritt sighed.  
  
"That's a big if, Ted... Uncle has been talking with that Lucard bas---" he flushed, quickly covering up his curse. "Ahem... person..."  
  
"That's impossible!" Bethany insisted rather loudly. "To think I'd marry that ... that ... well, a proper lady doesn't use such terms."  
  
"Should we ask Sarah then?" Merritt asked.  
  
"Don't josh, Merritt," Bethany said sullenly. She felt as if she was going to cry. A moment ago she wasn't even sure Theodore meant the wonderful promises and now it was certain but her future was not.  
  
"Don't worry, Bethie," Merritt said, "I'll make sure it works out . . . After all, I could think of no better relation than my old chum."  
  
His smile made Tommy grin and catch his waiting hand in a shake. When he pulled away he had a rather mischievous look on his face.  
  
"I do believe I have a picnic announcement to make," Merritt said. He broke away and started back to make his ruckus. "Come by in a bit of time to receive your flood of congrats."  
  
He left them there on his way to help seal their union.  
  
"Theodore?" Bethany asked shyly.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
But, she did not verbally respond, as she leant up and kissed his mouth gently...  
  
Tommy suddenly felt himself being shaken and screamed *loudly* when he saw the face of his mother.  
  
Sally Dawkins recoiled slightly.  
  
"Thomas Phillip Dawkins, do you know how *dangerous* it is, falling asleep out here???" she lectured.  
  
"Ummm... sorry?" he mumbled, starting to blush.  
  
"Well... just... you should get out before you turn into a prune?" she ordered at her youngest child.  
  
Tommy nodded and pulled himself out--- he needed help... He needed Merton...  
  
End Part Two 


	3. Because You Have to Have War-Torn Love

Took a while but it's here. :)  
  
Part 3  
  
Tommy escaped the dusk falling behind him when he ran into the Dingle's, the sound of Becky laughing hysterically greeting him. He stuck his head into the den to see her sitting on the arm of her father's recliner, the two of them watching Mike Myers parading around in British-flag undies to 'I Touch Myself'.  
  
"Uhhh... hi?"  
  
"Hi, Tommy." Becky smiled, still laughing a little.  
  
"Hey, kid." Al greeted.  
  
"You're watching--"  
  
"One of the best Mike Meyer's movies of all time, second only to the original 'Austin Powers'," Becky reported with a firm nod. "Even Daddy thinks so, though the first time he saw it I had to force him to watch after Vanessa was, er, done away with."  
  
"Hey, that Liz Hurley's no joke if ya know what I mean..."  
  
Becky rolled her eyes at her father and reached for some popcorn. "You want to join us?"  
  
Tommy smiled, looking at her father absorbed in the movie before shaking his head.  
  
"I'm gonna go see Merton."  
  
"Kay, whatever kid." Al shrugged, turning back to the Fembots.  
  
He had never been entirely sure Merton's dad even liked him or was being cordial because he was 'Merton's friend'. And being that he was always working on some top-secret Navy project in some top-secret place Tommy tried to be on his good side – he was pretty intimidating without that looming over head and that showed something. With Becky being such a Daddy's Girl he wouldn't be surprised if he ended up in a life before where he tried to hook up with Becky and 'disappeared'.  
  
"Merton, Merton!" Tommy called into the lair.  
  
Merton shrieked and hopped up.  
  
"Gah! Don't *do* that!" he panted.  
  
"Ewwww, Merton... 'Chain-Mail Goth Girls'?"  
  
"Some of them look better than that..." he fidgeted. "What... uh... what is it?" he asked, tossing the magazine  
  
into a corner, trying to look innocent.  
  
"I need to tell you something, something I didn't tell you before about Madam Goolee..."  
  
"Oh really?" he asked pretty impressed with himself. "See something did you?"  
  
"Yeah, actually . . ." he began nervously. "You remember when I came, uh, back? I said something?"  
  
"Becky?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"You saw Becky?" Merton asked with a look of disinterest.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Tommy that's not exactly some vision from the great beyond--- Becky you *know*..." he snorted.  
  
"No, Merton! We weren't *us*, and it happened *again*, tonight! Only... different!"  
  
Merton looked at him now, intrigued.  
  
"Go on..."  
  
"We were... in a stable..." he said carefully. "We had different names, and... I knew things that I couldn't possibly know. The second time, we were at a picnic or something... and... we had *new* different names... And, this time, you an' Stacey were there, but you had different names *too*---"  
  
"All right, all right, Tommy, stop!" Merton ordered.  
  
"What? You know what's wrong?"  
  
"We aren't rehashing the 'Wizard of Oz' here. You were there, and you, and Oh Auntie Em you were there too," he said in a ridiculously high voice. "Besides, those monkeys give me the willies."  
  
"You don't get it, Merton, I think they were past lives!"  
  
"Really? Hmm, interesting," he said in a practiced Freud persona. "Perhaps these are daydreams of our lives in a different time."  
  
"What?"  
  
Suddenly he became abruptly excited and his voice was convinced. "Maybe Madam Goolee is really a drug pusher and that tea was laced!"  
  
"No, no. Least I don't thinks so …" He shook his head and told him, "These weren't our lives, Merton. You were actually brave in the last one."  
  
"Really? .... Hmm, there might be something to this then."  
  
Tommy nodded. "What I'm trying to *tell* you, dude!"  
  
"So... how brave was I? A total badass, huh?"  
  
"Merton, that's not the *point*?"  
  
"Oh, yeah, I was awesome..." he nodded proudly.  
  
Tommy rolled his eyes and smiled indulgently at his best friend.  
  
"See, in both of these lives... I was... in love with Becky?"  
  
"Exsqueeze me?"  
  
"Yeah... I know, but... see, both times also... this guy... Lucard... he seemed... He was a total jerkoff, man, and  
  
he was always after her. Scaring her..."  
  
"Well, since it seems like we keep popping up together maybe he's connected too."  
  
"I don't know but the guy was a total creep," Tommy said darkly.  
  
"We've met a lot of creeps in our time, maybe in this life he was a big baddie you've already defeated with your wolf-style," Merton offered up with a quick 'Grr' stance.  
  
Tommy shook his head.  
  
"No, it wasn't. And, I just get this funny feeling... It makes me worried for her?"  
  
Merton frowned; Tommy's wolfy-spidey sense usually was pretty on-target...  
  
"All right, so... is this fellow anyone you think you might have seen before?"  
  
Tommy shook his head.  
  
"No. But I'd know him. Believe me?"  
  
Merton nodded again.  
  
"Well, Becky hasn't *mentioned* anyone... bothering her?" he said slowly, shuddering a bit at the prospect.  
  
"No, I think we'd notice, Beckers kind of wears her emotions on her sleeve?"  
  
"She certainly wears 'Pissed' right out in the open but other stuff…" Merton shrugged. "Too bad we can't bring my Pops into this; the Navy has the best computer system---"  
  
"Merton! We can't tell the Navy about me!"  
  
"Well, duh, I said I *wish* we could..." Merton rolled his eyes at him.  
  
"We have to see Madam Goolee," Tommy told him already heading for the door.  
  
"Wait, I want to know how you did it without Madam Goolee."  
  
"Nu-Uh. I am not going back to anywhere until I find out exactly what's going on," Tommy said firmly. "I want you to hit my upside my head if I even begin to say 'Return me--"  
  
A wave crashed into his body and when he opened his eyes he squinted under the sun.  
  
"I should have know that was going to happen," he said annoyed as he spat dirt from his mouth and  
  
He looked down at his tattered clothing to see that he was dressed in an old-fashioned Union Blue Civil War uniform before looking up at a stately plantation house.  
  
The memories flowed into his mind and he took a tentative step forward before walking became running and he was tugging open the door and slowly walking inside through the rooms looking for . . . someone.  
  
"Hello?" he called out.  
  
And, there she was... looking like Miss Scarlet O'Hara herself...  
  
Becky.  
  
"Beulah..." he breathed, pulling her to him by the waist.  
  
"Get your filthy hands off of me!" she resisted pushing him away. "You and your Yankee ways ruining everything! It's not supposed to be this way! I should be married to Mr. Lucard and living the proper life! I shouldn't have to worry about anything."  
  
"Beulah--"  
  
"No!" she cried, tears running down her face and onto the gown she wore. It was far more practical then the first he had seen her in.  
  
She wore deep blue that day, intriguing and beautiful in the center of the room. It was a large rally, everyone was trying to show their Southern pride and he was there, spying on anything that could help the North. He had tried not to talk that much, his accent of mock South not quite as convincing. He met Mercer that day and he introduced him to his sister, Beulah.  
  
Clever and filled with the old taught feminine charm that was betrayed by her boisterous nature. She was instantly attracting and already betrothed. But when they fell away from the rest . . . she had let him kiss her, just once. She then proclaimed it was just because of his handsome looks and left him there . . . It began everything. Even the ongoing tangle of pain, guilt, and overwhelming love.  
  
"You're a silly thing, Tanner! You men and your stupid wars! You couldn't just sit down and talk it out; all the arrogance flowing around made that impossible! Now Daddy is gone. And Mercer too, my only brother gone to fight, sneaking off in the night because he was joining the Yanks. Mama is just sick about it and spends her days praying. Now we're all alone and Mr. Lucard has been coming around more and more . . . And you ruined that too! I should be happy to see him but all I see is you're pitiful face saying you loved me, that after this whole debacle ended we'd be together."  
  
"I still mean it."  
  
"Well don't. I'd never leave my family without a word, Tanner -- Even if they've already left me."  
  
Tommy sighed and brushed her raven hair back from her face.  
  
"Beulah... my Heart," he whispered, burying his face into her hair, stroking the back of her head lightly with her fingertips.  
  
She sighed as she melted against him.  
  
"Why must you do this to me, Tanner?" she rasped in a pleading whisper.  
  
"Because, you know you'd never be happy with that man. You just *think* so, because he has that large spread and he's *considered* a 'Fine Southern Gentleman'." he scoffed. "He's no gentleman."  
  
Beulah sighed. "I suspect he isn't even Southern . . . His accent is almost as appalling as yours was."  
  
She smiled softly and he laughed, as she grew sullen again.  
  
"I can't leave this place... could you ever stay?"  
  
"I'd live on hellfire's coals if it meant to be with you."  
  
Her eyes filled with tears and she brought a handkerchief up from some unknown spot to gently wipe away the tears.  
  
"It's so unfair to ask you," she said with a shaky breath. "I just have to wait for Daddy and Mercer. I have to know their okay."  
  
He knew what she was going to say. After. After they came back she would be able to leave but he knew she was raised on the land and, even if it was for him, it'd hurt her to leave it behind.  
  
"You don't have to," he told her with a gentle kiss to her temple. "I'd never take you away."  
  
She jumped a bit in his arms, throwing her hands over her shoulder with her taught coyness gone.  
  
"Oh, you're wonderful Tanner Sullivan! Daddy will love you, I just know it! Even if you are a Yankee!"  
  
Tommy laughed and nuzzled her neck gently.  
  
"When this is all over, we're gonna make this place work again, you'll see..." she smiled.  
  
Tommy nodded, smiling at the determinedness of her facial expression.  
  
"I brought you a present..." he smiled up at her.  
  
"Ooooh, really?" she drawled, her face all aglow.  
  
"I promise..."  
  
"Miss Beulah, someone in the parlor for ya..." a voice said behind them.  
  
"Oh, thank you, Abby," she said to the woman who was more of a mother to her than her own. Beulah smiled at Tommy. "You'll keep my gift for another moment won't you?"  
  
He nodded and put his hand over the pocket he had sewn into his pants so that her gift couldn't slip away in battle.  
  
She seemed giddy and kissed his cheek before she and broke away to move toward the parlor in the remarkably well kept house, even through the turmoil of the war that ended just days ago.  
  
Abby looked at him and raised her eyebrow once Beulah left the room.  
  
"I hope you plan to do right by her," she said firmly.  
  
"I swear," Tommy said.  
  
A scream echoed through the house and even though Abby began a leisurely walk Tommy raced to the sound. Just before he broke through the entrance he heard Beulah yell out a name and embrace a figure. She pulled back after a good long hug before noticing Tommy and she went over to grab his hand, bringing him to the stranger.  
  
What was the name she had said? Lori?  
  
"Lucy, I want you to meet someone," Beulah smiled.  
  
"Tanner Sullivan." Tommy bowed a bit gallantly, causing the girls to titter a bit.  
  
"Lucy Carnahan," the blonde smiled at him.  
  
"This is my fiancée." Beulah smiled proudly, wrapping both arms around one of his.  
  
"A solider? Beulah..."  
  
"I tol' her," Abby said entering the room "But she never listened to a word I said so I don't expect her to now."  
  
"Now, Abby, you said you'd be nice to Tanner. And not a word from you, Lucille," she ordered. "Perhaps you aren't brave enough to go to your true love under any terms but I am. And I've found mine . . . my love."  
  
"You're father is going to be just furious!" Lucy fretted. She seemed more of a frail type and she nervously bit her lip.  
  
"No, he'll love Tanner because I'll make him," Beulah said simply. "And then he'll forgive Mercer."  
  
"After he ran off to the North?" Lucy asked disbelieving.  
  
"He didn't run off, he went to fight with them. He was noble for standing up for what he believed in ... And I am too. It's a family trait you know," she said prideful as she tightened on Tommy's hand.  
  
Tommy woke up, lain across Merton's bed, and the image of Lori in the bonnet swirled into Lori in a Reservoir Dogs tank top and a high ponytail, and instead of Abby, the housemaid, it was Merton.  
  
"Whoa, trippy..." he muttered.  
  
"Merton called me," she said, smacking loudly on her gum. "What happened, where were you?"  
  
"Trying to retrieve the love of my life after the Civil War," he said, groaning as he sat up.  
  
"Was I there?" Merton asked eagerly, he backed off at Tommy's warning expression.  
  
"You were there this time," he nodded at Lori.  
  
Lori laughed.  
  
"You're right--- 'Wizard of Oz', man..."  
  
Tommy growled, aggravated.  
  
"Aw, be a sport," she smirked, nudging him a bit playfully.  
  
"Was Becky---"  
  
"Yeah, she was the girl. Complete Southern Belle," Tommy affirmed. "She... mentioned that Lucard person again... and... a brother?"  
  
"Really?" Merton squeaked excitedly.  
  
"Y-eah... she said he'd joined the opposite side against his father's wishes because he believed it was right?"  
  
"Bravery," Merton said as if in discovery, "Must be my middle name!"  
  
"That's very nice for you, Merton," Lori humored. "Now what about me?"  
  
"I think there are bigger issues here!" Tommy stated loudly.  
  
"Merton?" Becky's asked as she walked into the Lair. "Daddy said -- Tommy! I forgot you were down here.  
  
You're just the person I wanted her see!"  
  
His gulp was almost audibly before he nervously squeaked out a, "Really? What for?"  
  
Becky eyed him. "He doesn't believe me that Vanessa's a Fembot!"  
  
"Come on, that was the coolest thing! When the things shot out of her---"  
  
"Y-eah, well... go tell him, I bet him five bucks?" she smirked.  
  
"Well," Merton interrupted. "Isn't this cozy?"  
  
"Very," Lori added.  
  
"What are you two talking about?" Becky asked.  
  
"Oh, nothing," her brother said.  
  
"Not a thing," Lori told her as Tommy looked at them with an evil eye.  
  
"A Freaker on one side and a nut on the other," she said turning and jogging back up the steps.  
  
"You both suck," Tommy said decisively as he stood up.  
  
"Tommy? Are you coming?"  
  
"Um," he looked to the smirking faces and scowled in response. "Yeah."  
  
As he followed Becky Merton's expression faded away and he sat down pensively.  
  
"Merton, do you really think---"  
  
"I dunno... but I think we should start getting more... detailed information from him? We should look into this..."  
  
Meanwhile, Al lit another cigar as Tommy came up.  
  
"Oh, hey, tell her that she's wrong?"  
  
"Sorry. She's a robot."  
  
"She has a *mother*?"  
  
Tommy shrugged. "They don't explain certain things very well..."  
  
Al nodded.  
  
"Why don't'cha sit down for a bit?" he offered, gesturing to the couch and motioning for Becky to  
  
resume her spot on the arm of his chair.  
  
Tommy sat down *very* slowly.  
  
"So... why don't'cha tell me what you and maboy've been up to lately, eh?" he asked conversationally...  
  
Tommy's lower lip stuck out a bit as he shrugged, "Not much, Sir."  
  
"Sir. You have good manners, don't see that too often," he nodded approvingly and Becky caught Tommy's eyes with a little grin.  
  
His attention moved to the boy on the couch to the screen and he laughed as a large Scottish man proclaimed his desperate want for baby back ribs.  
  
"This gets me every time," he laughed. Tommy caught on a bit later and gave a little apprehensive 'ha' to go along . . .  
  
Merton frowned as he found a picture on his laptop.  
  
"What? What's the matter?" Lori asked him.  
  
"This guy... we'd better go ask Tommy..." Merton said apprehensively.  
  
"Merton, what *is* it?"  
  
"I've found sixteen different listings for the same man, same picture..."  
  
"And?" Lori frowned.  
  
"It's from sixteen different *time* *periods*???"  
  
"Okay, that presents a problem."  
  
"Ya think? ... Have you ever seen him before?"  
  
"No, not that I remember, and with the cloud of rain hanging over that guy's head I probably would," she said with a shake of her shoulders.  
  
"He is rather creepy. And not in the cute, adorable way like me."  
  
Lori rolled her eyes at him.  
  
"Well, anyhow, let's go and GET him???"  
  
"Yeah, sure..."  
  
Merton and Lori ran upstairs to see Tommy fidgeting on the couch, while Becky and Al were watching the movie...  
  
"Tommy, I need your help with.... something."  
  
Al looked at his son skeptically. "If you don't want me to know you could come up with something that's a little more convincing."  
  
"Help for school."  
  
"Better."  
  
"I'm right there," Tommy said gratefully as he stood, grabbing his best friends arm and dragging him away while Becky watched them curiously.  
  
"Tommy?" she waved a little and he did too. "See ya later."  
  
He nodded and was about to say something else when Merton reached out and dragged him away.  
  
End Part Three 


	4. Yee-Ha

Part 4 - Thank the ever-musical Bunny for the added song. Sets it off, I think :)  
  
**  
  
The next morning, Tommy walked into the Lair as Merton was buttoning his shirt.  
  
"Almost ready, man?"  
  
"Yeah, just gimme a sec... Wanna grab somethin' to eat on the way?"  
  
"Always." Tommy said, lounging on the old-fashioned desktop.  
  
With the click of heeled shoes Becky came downstairs. He swore it was like one of those slow-motion montage moments that Lori deemed "cheesy", where the wind swept the girl's hair every which-way, and there was this back light illuminating her, "Suzy Q" or something playing in the background...  
  
"What?" he asked, startled, as her voice broke into her thoughts.  
  
"I asked if you guys would mind giving me a ride to school," she repeated with a little smile. "Daddy had to head to work early."  
  
"Sure." Tommy smiled widely, making Merton give him a funny look.  
  
Becky returned the smile a bit shyly.  
  
"Oh, yeah, Mert; Ma called from London. She says to tell 'her little man' hi and that she loves you gobs."  
  
"Mummy called! Why didn't you yell for me!" he whined before catching Tommy's eye. "Not that I'm a Mama's Boy . . . Yeah, so, ready for school?"  
  
Becky shook her head and left as Tommy followed her every movement.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
His head whipped around to see Merton standing there with a suspicious face.  
  
"You aren't a solider, I'm not brave, and you are not getting it on with my sister in this life."  
  
"I was just . . . appreciating the way she did her hair today. Uh, wavy."  
  
"Uh-huh. Let's go to school, Tommy."  
  
**  
  
"Nervous?"  
  
"That I might get sucked back in time again? Just a smidge," Tommy answered Merton as they stood in front of the little shop Madam Goolee operated from.  
  
"Maybe it will be my turn this time," Merton said brightly. Tommy just grabbed him collar and pulled him along.  
  
"Hello?" Tommy called out as he walked through the open door into the small, dimly lit room. He'd been waiting all day for answers, unable to concentrate on anything close to schoolwork and trying not to utter two little words by accident.  
  
"You may come in," Madam Goolee beckoned. They followed her voice through the beaded curtain and spotted her sitting at her table as she had been days ago.  
  
"I want answers," Tommy demanded before the beads stopped swinging.  
  
She seemed pretty self satisfied with his order, knowing he had experienced something even with his skeptical ways.  
  
"And what do you seek?"  
  
"Who is Lucard?"  
  
"The past will repeat itself. Your past, your present."  
  
"Riddles, not so much a help. Complete sentences would be very much appreciated," Merton smiled.  
  
The fortuneteller sighed in aggravation, "He was part of your past, he is part of your present. It's not that difficult."  
  
"Ah," Merton said, slightly embarrassed.  
  
"And Becky?"  
  
"The young woman? I see we both are aware of the answer to that."  
  
"I believe what he's asking is if this Lucard will be coming after her. Being she's my little sister - as cruel a twist that might be - I'd like to know too."  
  
"I can not tell you that."  
  
"Doesn't it say fortuneteller on the lawn?"  
  
"Fortune, not *all knowing* future."  
  
"We need to know," Tommy said firmly.  
  
"Look to the days gone by. They hold the clues to your future. The more you learn the better you will understand."  
  
"That's it?" Merton complained.  
  
"That is all I have seen."  
  
"Are you sure you didn't just give us acid?"  
  
Tommy sighed and turned on heel, leaving vague details and a fortuneteller whom knew less than he did behind.  
  
**  
  
He was worn down, his mind tired along with his body and when he hit the couch comfort sunk into him. Tommy shut his eyes and lay back, his headphones on. He was starting to drift as the soothing sounds of Kenny Rogers wrapped around his weary brain...  
  
******************** Everyone considered him  
  
the coward of the county.  
  
He never stood one single time  
  
to prove the county wrong.  
  
His mama called him Tommy,  
  
but folks just called him 'yella'.  
  
Somethin' always told me,  
  
they were readin' Tommy wrong.  
  
********************  
  
Tommy twitched a bit as that part came out, but he was still all sleepy and content...  
  
********************  
  
Now, he was only 10-years-old,  
  
when his Daddy died in prison.  
  
And I took care of Tommy,  
  
because he was my brother's son.  
  
I still recall the final words  
  
my brother said to Tommy.  
  
'Son, my life is over,  
  
but, yours has just begun.'  
  
********************  
  
Tommy snored softly as the song lulled him into sleep while pulling him in.  
  
********************  
  
Promise me, son,  
  
not to do the things I've done.  
  
Walk away from trouble if ya can.  
  
Now, it don't mean you're weak,  
  
if you turn the other cheek.  
  
And, I hope you're old enough  
  
to understand.  
  
Son, you don't hafta fight  
  
to be a man.  
  
********************  
  
Tommy was starting to relax more in his sleep, looking more content...  
  
********************  
  
Well, there's someone for everyone,  
  
and, Tommy's love was Becky.  
  
In her arms he didn't have to prove  
  
he was a man.  
  
One day while he was workin',  
  
the Gatlin boys came callin'.  
  
And, they took turns at Becky,  
  
and, there were three of them.  
  
********************  
  
Tommy growled a bit in his sleep now, starting to squirm and toss.  
  
********************  
  
When Tommy opened up the door,  
  
and saw his Becky cryin',  
  
the torn dress and shattered look  
  
was more than he could stand.  
  
He reached above the fireplace,  
  
took down his Daddy's picture.  
  
And, as the tears fell  
  
on his Daddy's face,  
  
I heard these words again.  
  
********************  
  
Tommy was starting to form paws at this point...  
  
********************  
  
Promise me son,  
  
not to do the things I've done.  
  
Walk away from trouble if ya can.  
  
Now it don't mean you're weak,  
  
if you turn the other cheek.  
  
And, I hope you're old enough  
  
to undersand.  
  
Son, you don't hafta fight  
  
to be a man.  
  
********************  
  
Tommy was now fully wolfed, but obviously locked into his song-induced nightmare...  
  
********************  
  
The Gatlin boys just laughed at him,  
  
when he walked into the barroom.  
  
One of them got up and hit him  
  
halfway 'cross the floor.  
  
When Tommy turned around,  
  
they said, 'Hey look, old yella's leavin.'  
  
But, you couldda heard  
  
a pin drop, when Tommy  
  
stopped and locked the door.  
  
Twenty years of crawlin',  
  
was bottled up inside him.  
  
He wasn't holdin' nothin' back,  
  
he let 'em have it all.  
  
When Tommy left the barroom,  
  
not a Gatlin boy was standin'.  
  
He said, 'This one's for Becky'  
  
as he watched the last one fall.  
  
********************  
  
Tommy now wore a feral grin despite the fact that he was still asleep and his eyes tightly shut...  
  
********************  
  
And, I heard him say,  
  
'I promised you, Dad,  
  
not to do the things you'd done.  
  
I'll walk away from trouble if I can.  
  
Now, please don't think I'm weak;  
  
I couldn't turn the other cheek.  
  
Papa, I sure hope you understand.  
  
Sometimes ya gotta fight  
  
when you're a man'.  
  
Everyone considered him,  
  
the coward of the county...  
  
********************  
  
In the warm, fuzzy mood that settled over his oblivious state he didn't hear his own voice when his wolf mode fell away and he whispered.  
  
"Return me."  
  
He broke the surface of the water and gasped for a breath.  
  
Looking around quickly he spotted the sign hanging over the entrance proclaiming 'Bath House'. He shook his head, the droplets of water flying as he scrubbed a hand over his face.  
  
"Come on, Gentlemen, we can move the pace up a bit," a voice said. He turned to the middle-aged woman to see her nod. "That includes you too, Trapper Munroe."  
  
Tommy nodded and waited until she left before he stood, reaching for his clothes off to the side, smelling the soap they had just been laundered with. He pulled them on along with his boots and got up to stretch. It had been a long week or traveling and he was happy to be passing through familiar territory. This was the third time he had visited this little town and he liked it more and more.  
  
Now he had a bath, fresh clothing, and a need for other things they provided in this fine upstanding stop.  
  
Whisky and women.  
  
Maybe that same blonde was still there.  
  
He adjusted his hat as he walked towards the saloon and saw Mer--- no, Marvin, wasn't it? Yes, Marvin the bartender... His mother ran the establishment...  
  
"Hey, gimme a bottle of your best?"  
  
"Got in a new shipment of sippin' 'shine." he whispered. "Don't spread it around and I'll let'cha have a bit of that."  
  
Tommy smiled and Marvin handed him the plain brown bottle.  
  
"Want the same room, Trapper?"  
  
"Yeah, it's open?"  
  
Marvin handed him the key and Tommy tipped his hat before walking up the stairs. When he got up there, he saw a vision in white-and-pink trimmed summer-cotton dress. She was dusting out the curtains, and, from her dress, was *not* one of the "working girls"...  
  
"From this valley they say you are goin'. We will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile. But remember the Red River Valley. And, the cowgirl you loved for a while."  
  
Tommy smiled as he let her sweet voice wrap around him...  
  
"From this valley they say you are leavin'. Do not hasten to bid me "adieu". But, remember the Red River Valley, and the one girl who loved you so true..."  
  
"That was great!" he enthused, startling her.  
  
"Oh, I... didn't know anyone was there..." she blushed, flustered. "Look, Mr.---"  
  
"Trapper. Just call me Trapper."  
  
"Trapper, right... Look, I'm not... umm..."  
  
"What?" he asked as he stepped closer. She almost looked as if she was blushing but, surely, working here would have cured her of any need to blush.  
  
"I was supposed to have these rooms done by now. You see, I'm not a, that is to say, I don't work as a . . ."  
  
Tommy gave an easy laugh and stepped back. "Don't worry, I sort of figured that out. You aren't . . . dressed for it."  
  
Becky smiled a bit relieved.  
  
"No, no I am not... My mother... she owns the place."  
  
"You're Valerie's daughter?" Tommy asked in shock.  
  
Well, it shouldn't've surprised him--- why *else* would someone as obviously classy as her be *working* in a place like *this* as a maid?  
  
"Yes... I'm not pretty like her, I know; people don't even who come in here don't usually see me around..." she admitted.  
  
"I don't see why--"  
  
"My mother . . . she doesn't really want me in the business so she tries to keep me away from it. I think she feels guilty."  
  
"I meant why don't you think you're pretty. You're beautiful."  
  
Trapper knew that statement was a little trite, he had used it himself a million times, but she blushed heavily.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Really..." he breathed, moving a bit closer.  
  
"I..." she backed away as he bent down to kiss her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You came to a *saloon*, Mr... Trapper... and... you don't even know my *name*, but you want to kiss me?"  
  
"Okay, what's your name?"  
  
"Her name is Bess and if you touch her you're out on your ass, Munroe," a soft but thickly accented voice informed him from behind...  
  
"Hello, Val--"  
  
"Not a word. That's my daughter you're looming over so I suggest you back up." Her British tone held a hint of trouble as she spoke.  
  
"Nothing happened," Bess said to her mother, moving to her side.  
  
"I saw," she said with an appraisal of Tommy before turning to Bess. "You go downstairs, my perfect girl, I bought you some more books, Marvin has them."  
  
"Thanks, Mama," Bess said softly, looking at Tommy before leaving the room. Valerie waited until her daughter had gone before spoke again.  
  
"Listen, Munroe, I don't think you're a bad guy, really, but you won't put a finger on my daughter. I'll not have her meeting perspective husbands in a saloon or have you spouting out promises you don't intend to keep. She's a smart girl, she's a true lady, and I won't have her falling into my old mistakes."  
  
"Valerie, I wasn't intending on doing anything."  
  
"I've seen a lot of good-for-nothings try. She seems so innocent and she is, and I want to keep her that way."  
  
"I didn't--"  
  
"I saw you lean into kiss her!"  
  
"But I didn't and if I did it would have been just that, a kiss."  
  
She eyed him critically before she nodded. "Alright, Munroe, I believe you, but if I see you come near her again . . ."  
  
She didn't finish because she seemed to grow angry and Tommy nodded in understanding.  
  
"Good. You can come downstairs soon and pick out a girl, since Bess was cleaning the rooms, well; you can choose downstairs . . . Remember what I said. Any other time she'd yell or push someone away if they tried anything, with you she didn't. If you take advantage of that I'll kill you."  
  
With that she shut the door.  
  
Tommy shook his head and laughed a little. She was being irrational, Bess was beautiful and seemed sweet, sure, but why would he want someone sweet when he had a whole floor of women to chose from downstairs?  
  
Checking his appearance in the mirror her straightened his shirt and left the room.  
  
When he got down, he saw a familiar-looking redhead and blonde standing together...  
  
"Hey, stranger..."  
  
"Sue Ellen... Loretta..."  
  
"Double your pleasure like last time?" the blonde cooed in his ear.  
  
Tommy blushed a bit but smiled at her, then his eye flicked over to the petite brunette, leafing through her books at the bar while her brother was helping the regular bartender straighten up.  
  
"So, what'll it be, Trapper?" the redhead purred.  
  
"I... tired? Long ride up? May... maybe tomorrow?"  
  
"Tomorrow?" the blonde asked, stamping her foot.  
  
"We wore special things just for you," Sue Ellen said, moving forward to play with his collar.  
  
"Come on, Trapper. I won't even charge," Loretta winked.  
  
"And you'll get both," Sue Ellen smiled.  
  
"Bessie, get up here, I don't want you out there around that," Valerie's voice called down. Bess looked up and sighed, shutting her book and walking upstairs.  
  
"What'll it be, Trapper?" the eager redhead asked, both pointedly ignoring the fact his attention had been momentarily elsewhere. They were tired of that little annoyance anyway, she never filled the water basins when she was supposed to. As Bess met the top steps they could hear Valere reminding her that she had said to retrieve her books, not stick around down there once she got them.  
  
"Are we going to have fun tonight?" Loretta said with a wink.  
  
Tommy sighed. Gently, but firmly he looked at the girls.  
  
"Tomorrow, all right? I'm not in the mood," he said, walking back upstairs, ignoring their pouts and protests...  
  
He walked past the big suite, which none of the men were allowed in--- this was where Valerie and her children stayed. He saw Bess seated near the window, day dreaming it seemed, while Valerie stood desk, writing a letter of some sort...  
  
He started to feel guilty, until she caught his eye and hers widened.  
  
Fortunately for him, she didn't make a sound.  
  
"Come for a walk?" he mouthed to her will making his fingers take a tiny trek over his palm.  
  
She pointed to her mother and shook her head, holding up her hands helplessly.  
  
"Tonight. Dinner," he mouthed carefully with the help of more hand gestures.  
  
She shook her head once more. He held his hands together and mouthed "Please?" making her smile at his efforts and nod, giving him a little sweet smile of surrender ...  
  
He pointed down to the main room and she nodded, vowing to slip away as soon as he could. Tommy grinned broadly and gave a little wave before heading to his room.  
  
He closed the door and looked around, there were some daises there, in a little vase, but he didn't think that would be very nice. She had probably put them there after all.  
  
He looked out his window and slipped back downstairs past the now-closed door, finding some lovely bluebells and daffodils to make a bouquet out of. When she finally managed to come down almost an hour later she spotted him by the door before trying to follow his grinning self out the door discreetly. He smiled doing away with his hat in the presence of a lady and proudly presented her his gift.  
  
"Awww... that's so sweet..." she murmured, breathing in the sweet perfumed scent of the flowers.  
  
"You won't get into trouble, right?"  
  
"Mama's... busy? And, Marvin... he's playing piano tonight."  
  
Trapper smiled and gallantly offered her his arm.  
  
She took it and they went for a bit of a walk.  
  
It seemed like mere minutes, but soon they were facing the dawn...  
  
"We can't've been talking all *night*..." she whispered in a bit of a squeak.  
  
"Yeah, I think so..." he winced a bit apologetically. "I'll walk ya back..."  
  
"Mama would shoot you," she smirked. "Just... I'll make up a good fib, okay?"  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Promise, don't worry."  
  
Tommy nodded and bent down to kiss her gently. She was stiff for a mere second, but then her hands came slowly up to knot in his naturally curly hair. It wasn't fair he hadn't met her before tonight, it wasn't fair that the last two times he had stopped in this town she had been away visiting relatives . . .  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow night, Trapper," she smiled, blowing him a kiss as she ran off...  
  
Tommy watched her, smiling, as the landscape suddenly melted back into his living room again, and was *very* startled to see his brother standing where Bess had been running!  
  
"Did you change my show? Geez, I leave the room for fifteen minutes to go to the bathroom and . . . Hey, lil' bro. What's going on?"  
  
". . . I have no idea."  
  
To be Continued . 


	5. Skipping School, The Doggie Rules

Part 5  
  
The next morning Tommy arrived at Merton's anxious, these trips down memory lane were getting to be a bit much and he wasn't sure he was entirely able to keep perusing the past without it affecting his present. The star of his predicament happened to be the one he ran into when he opened the front door.  
  
"Becky!"  
  
"Tommy!" she said more in mock then surprise.  
  
"Sorry, hi, just got startled..."  
  
"Didn't realize I had that effect on men..." she laughed teasingly.  
  
"Oh, you could stop traffic," he blurted out, blushing, before he could stop himself.  
  
Becky smiled flirtatiously at him, but pulled herself onto the countertop, careful of her short, silky gray skirt that matched her a simple gray top.  
  
"You're looking for Merton, right?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Check the den?"  
  
"No, I just came in, I . . ."  
  
"Was stopped by my enchanting good looks?" she interrupted.  
  
"More like scared stiff by your monstrous features," Merton said as he walked into the kitchen.  
  
Becky threw a piece of toast at her brother, getting grape jelly all over the front of his silk shirt for his little experiment in embarrassing her.  
  
"Ooops." she smirked, winking at Tommy as she jumped down and headed into the back of the house...  
  
Merton pulled his now sticky shirt off and smacked Tommy on the back of the head.  
  
"*Stop* leering!"  
  
"No leering, no . . . Admiring. The hair, remember?"  
  
"None of that either. I swear, if you had to deal with her for a couple of lifetimes why get wrapped up in it now?"  
  
"You were there too."  
  
"Yeah, RELATED. Where's my choice in the matter?" he complained.  
  
"Merton, shut up. I need help."  
  
"Hmm, interesting . . . No."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Just kidding, a little test to show how much you need me."  
  
"Merton!"  
  
"Okay, okay. On with the help."  
  
Merton and Tommy retreated down to the Lair and after Merton retrieved a clean shirt they got started researching. At least they had a bit of a narrowed down search, what with Tommy remembering that Lucard fellow...  
  
"So, in this last one... I was a piano player in a saloon?"  
  
"Ummm... uh-huh..." Tommy fidgeted.  
  
"What are you not telling me?" Merton asked suspiciously. "My sister wasn't- --"  
  
"No! She just cleaned the rooms because your Mom owned the place--- um, I mean..."  
  
"Was my mom my mom?"  
  
"Ah . . . no."  
  
Merton sighed and turned back to his screen. "You're a horrible liar."  
  
"Stacey and Lori were though."  
  
"Were . . . Really?" Merton asked. "Did I get some Lori action?"  
  
"Oh, Merton! I don't know, just look up something. Yuck."  
  
"Just asking," he shrugged. He'd been having a few strange thoughts of his own lately and was wondering if he should try to connect some dots himself. His attention came back to the screen and he scrolled down the page containing one of the pictures of Lucard, this one a careful drawing, and he cocked his head to the side.  
  
"This site is for a home they're preserving in Europe. It's a list of the owners, various legends, that sort of thing."  
  
"So?"  
  
"It said the manor was owned briefly by a Mister Erik Lucard. He only owned the estate for six months during the late 1800s when he was courting a young woman but . . ."  
  
"But?"  
  
"But it says he abruptly moved after an unfortunate accident resulted in the death of his fiancée'."  
  
"Does it say how?" Tommy asked, peering at the screen.  
  
"No. Nothing."  
  
"Creepy..." Tommy shuddered, feeling icy fingers traveling up his spine.  
  
"Very." Merton nodded.  
  
"Hey, Merton?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You don't think maybe... Nah, that *couldn't* be..." Tommy frowned.  
  
"What? Tell me..."  
  
"What if the 'fiancée`... Mert, what if it was Becky?" he asked, his eyes widening.  
  
"But you said--"  
  
"We were together then, engaged . . . Unless her father . . ."  
  
"Tommy?"  
  
"Her father, your uncle, he was talking with Lucard about marrying Becky. You told me, well, another you."  
  
"So Becky . . . you don't think he would have done something to her?"  
  
Tommy's eyes flashed a yellow before he spoke.  
  
"I saw him up close and personal . . . I'm thinking he would."  
  
Merton shuddered, flicking an involuntary glance upstairs.  
  
"You're thinking we should make her stay in her room aren't you?"  
  
"You could tell?"  
  
"Yeah, kind of thinking the same thing..." Tommy admitted.  
  
"Lori would say we were nuts?" Merton smirked.  
  
"She always does anyhows..." Tommy smirked back.  
  
"That would mean, 'Great idea' . . . Ah, to be a genius," Merton mused.  
  
"Okay, oh-smart-one. How do we do it?"  
  
"Hmm, what does Becky like that will keep her in her room and away from the public, including creepy suspected immortal people who will kill her if not have her?" Merton asked as if it were semi-normal.  
  
"Ummmmmm..." Tommy frowned pensively. "Yeah, but Merton, I don't think we can *get* Rob Lowe---"  
  
Merton smacked his forehead. "No, no, *no*... let's... tell her we wanna stay home? Get her to... play a really long game like... Monopoly, while I'm working? She'll do it for you..."  
  
Tommy raised a brow.  
  
"Play Monopoly? Alone? In her room?"  
  
". . . Good point. You play Monopoly in front of me so I can keep an eye on you two. Destiny can hold right on until my sister graduates high school -- make that college."  
  
"Destiny?" Tommy asked, one side of his lip curling to show his teeth. "You think that's what this is?"  
  
"Hello? Tommy, what's going on in that noggin?" Merton asked as he knocked on his friend's head. "What did Madam Goolee say? 'The past repeats itself'. So just ... keep in resisting it until her eighteenth birthday. Perk up, you only have two years. Well, one and a half."  
  
"I'm not resisting anything, they were PAST lives. PAST. Gone bye-bye. It's over."  
  
"Tommy? Go get the Monopoly."  
  
His denial-filled friend trudged over to the closet while Merton himself went to retrieve his sister with a little Tommy blackmail.  
  
"'Just keep resisting'," he mocked as he pulled out the game. "He doesn't know what he's talking about."  
  
"Merton, you can't be serious..." Becky said incredulously, her voice echoing down the steps. "Skipping school to play *Monopoly*??? Daddy will have a bloody purple cow!"  
  
Merton grimaced.  
  
"Yeah, but Pops left early today again and I won't tell if you won't? Just think..." he cajoled her. "All day, you and Tommy, sitting close..."  
  
"Oh... all right, but you are *so* weird sometimes..." she said, looking at him oddly as she bounced down the stairs...  
  
"Weird like a fox," Merton said pridefully as he followed his sister down.  
  
"Hey, guys," Tommy greeted, the board already set up.  
  
"Hi," Becky said, doing her best to walk over seductively, gracefully, and . . . Stupid magazine, this was impossible, she looked like she broke a heel.  
  
"So what do you want to be?" Tommy asked holding out the pieces.  
  
"Freaker can choose first, he's all anal about his pre-game ceremony."  
  
"I am not, besides I'm not playing. I've got some work to do," he said moving to his desk.  
  
"You are so, you get it from mom. And you've just convinced me to skip school so that I can play a game you don't even want to play?"  
  
"You said it yourself," Merton obliged, directing his thumb toward himself. "Weird."  
  
"Whatever. What do you want to be, Tommy?"  
  
"I'll be the doggie?"  
  
Merton snorted and Tommy threw a pillow at him.  
  
"I'll be the top hat..." she shrugged...  
  
~*~  
  
Hours later, Becky went upstairs to make them some lunch, putting the game aside for now...  
  
"Who's winning?" Merton asked distractedly.  
  
"Me," Tommy said hoarding his abundance of fake money. "Find anything?"  
  
"I don't know. This seems like . . . He's just covering his tracks maybe?" Merton shook his head. "After a period in the 1800's he just seems to have disappeared."  
  
"So maybe he died," Tommy said with a little joy as he stood to stretch his legs.  
  
"But what if he didn't? What if he's still around? . . . I think you should go back."  
  
"No way!" Tommy protested.  
  
"But Madam Goolee even said it was good for you."  
  
"No way, Merton, forget it," Tommy said. He didn't want the past spilling in, and that's what it seemed to be doing, if Becky hadn't been letting him win he'd of lost because he was too busy looking at her.  
  
"Tommy--"  
  
"No."  
  
"Fine, we'll just turn Becky over to some nutball then," Merton said casually. "He's only some insane evil guy that followed her through the ages and--"  
  
"Fine, fine," Tommy said as he looked at his best friend. Welling up a little preparation he sighed and said. "Return me."  
  
The noise reached his ears first; music he'd heard before in one of those movies based on a blues singer.  
  
"Oh, Tal, isn't it marvelous?"  
  
Tommy looked to his side to see bright red hair before a face turned to him and smiled, giving him a growing remembrance of his surroundings.  
  
"I don't know, Sylvia. Should we really be here?"  
  
"Don't be a bore! I've asked everyone where to find the best little dive in San Francisco and they say this is the absolute spot!"  
  
Tommy looked around the tiny storeroom and couldn't figure out where to go. The music was playing but he there was no way to tell exactly where it came from and he didn't know why Sylvia thought a dusty storeroom was so 'marvelous', they weren't even in the speakeasy yet.  
  
But he was still nervous.  
  
He had come from a wealthy family and his equally wealthy companion often called him boring and sheltered, though she had just as much experience in the area of illegal bars as he -- None.  
  
"We have to knock now," she instructed, holding his hand and tapping on the door in an odd rhyme until he opened to a man who seemed to be feeling no pain.  
  
"Come on!" Sylvia urged. 


	6. He Really Liked the Twenties

Part 6  
  
Tommy adjusted himself nervously.  
  
"Ahem, yes..."  
  
"Password," the man grated out.  
  
"Coppers can't stop us," Sylvia said pointedly, and the man moved aside to let her and Tommy enter.  
  
When they stepped inside the smell of cheap, homemade and bootleg booze and the sound of loud, rowdy people surrounded his senses. He wasn't used to it- -- and he didn't like it. Something in the back of his mind said that he did, but he brushed it away as a cobweb...  
  
Then, he saw her... the cute little beaded flapper dress... the too-bright lipstick... the dark, soulful eyes...  
  
"Who...?" he asked the bartender, gesturing to the tiny, and obviously hastily made, stage as he was handed a metal coffee-mug of what could only be moonshine, or what he imagined it'd look like.  
  
"My sister, Beckers. She owns this joint," the boy explained, pulling his floppy, brown cap lower on his brow...  
  
Tommy had never seen someone like that before. She seemed so exquisite and yet so -- harsh. Her hair was blunt and cut just at her chin like Sylvia. But where his companion had tamed her curls into a subdued wave Beckers' style was sharp and straight.  
  
She was--  
  
"Tal! I can't believe we're here. Could you have imagined this?" Sylvia asked as she grabbed his arm.  
  
"Ummm... I suppose..." he responded, absently waving her off to watch Beckers dance.  
  
Suddenly, a brawl broke out and the bartender ducked behind the bar as the music abruptly stopped.  
  
"Mel, throw those bums outta here!" Beckers said loudly over the scuffle, stalking over to the bar with a swing of her hips that sent the beads swaying wildly as if angry themselves.  
  
"Dunno, Sis. They're... really big...and... I'm ou'numbered?"  
  
She rolled her eyes and stomped over to the brawlers with the clatter of her dress, she would have called her password man to help her out except he seemed to be passed out at the moment. All of the sudden, in one forceful movement, she tossed a bucket of semi-melted ice and water on them. They jumped at the freezing interruption and when they went to turn on her, she punched one in the throat, simultaneously kicking the other one in the kneecap.  
  
"You bums have been *warned*--- you're banned from this establishment, ya hear me?" she yelled, grabbing them by the ears and *dragging* them out.  
  
She opened something that seemed like an escape door for if the police happened to find her bar and tossed them onto the street before slamming the door self-satisfied. He doubted the two men would seek retribution for being booted - they were so drunk he doubted they'd remember it.  
  
"Well? What's everyone looking at?" she demanded, feeling eyes on her. "It's a party--- dance!"  
  
The music started back and she strode to the bar, perching herself onto it and crossing her legs. Mel reached out and poured her a fancy-looking concoction of unknown drink that only looked fancy because of the glass in which it was served. Beckers reached out and held it with practiced fingers, taking a slow, satisfied sip...  
  
"Thanks for the help," she sarcastically told her brother.  
  
"I was about to hop in," he insisted.  
  
"From under the bar?"  
  
"I had good thoughts," he offered.  
  
"Did me a fat lot of good," she complained downing the drink as Tommy looked on in half fascination. She was a lady as he'd never seen before. All the women he knew - including Sylvia -- seemed likely to faint at any given moment and claimed to need help at every second of the day. She seemed liked she'd look at you as if you were daft if you offered her a hand.  
  
"I'm back, and no more liquor for Tony tonight, it took me three times knocking before he woke up and let me in!" a blonde announced. She pulled off her cap, careful of the silk flower pinned to the side and smoothed her short, flippy hair as she leaned to the bartender. "Hey, baby."  
  
She kissed him with a smile and he pulled back with a bit of a dazed grin.  
  
"How's my sweetheart?"  
  
"Awaitin' your return," Mel answered.  
  
"Isn't he a peach?" the blonde asked.  
  
"Yeah, Lola, but I wish he was a more of a fighter than a lover."  
  
"I'm good enough lover it makes up for---"  
  
"Shut yer trap, Mel. Ya shouldn't speak of such things in a refined place such as this," Beckers scoffed.  
  
They shared a laugh, even though they were rather proud of their bar, when they noticed Tommy come up slowly, Sylvia on his heels.  
  
"Hi..."  
  
"May we help you?" Beckers asked, bemused.  
  
"Ahem, ah, no... just... I'm Tal." he blurted out. "That is, I'm Tal Robert Jacobs-Willen III."  
  
Lola rolled her eyes over at Mel but Beckers smiled at him.  
  
"Charmed Mister Jacobs-Willen III. I'm Beckers," she winked, looking him over appraisingly. He seemed very...  
  
"I'm Sylvia." the redhead butted in loudly, much to Becker's sudden annoyance as Lola noticed. "I just adore this little rundown illegal club here. Not that being run down is such a bad thing, I don't mean to offend you, being you were probably quite po-"  
  
"How old are you, Syl?" Lola asked with an overly sweet attitude but slightly narrowed eyes.  
  
"I'm eighteen---"  
  
"You're too young to be in here, you have to go."  
  
"But---"  
  
"No buts, you heard me, honey," she said, winking at Beckers and dragging her out.  
  
Tommy could only stand there; half of him felt almost *bad* for abandoning Sylvia like that, but the other half couldn't tear his eyes away from the intoxicating creature before him...  
  
"WAIT!" he called out. Causing Lola to stop short with Sylvia sputtering protest. " . . . Will someone escort her to my auto?"  
  
"TAL!" Sylvia fumed.  
  
"Mel, be a dear?" Lola asked sweetly.  
  
"Course," he nodded. Beckers took over his spot behind the bar as he left and Lola joined her.  
  
She sighed and shook her head. "Escorting a priss he can do, ask him to break up one tiny fight and he's as still as a stone."  
  
"Is eighteen really too young?" Tommy asked with a little quirk of his mouth.  
  
Beckers smirked and leaned closer.  
  
"C'mere, doll," she beckoned, curling her finger to indicate him come forward.  
  
Tommy nodded and moved as close as possible without their faces touching.  
  
"Lemme share a secret with ya . . . It's a prohibition--- *everybody's* too young." she smirked, dropping a little kiss on his cheek before helping herself to another drink as Mel came back inside.  
  
"Here I thought she wouldn't be able to drive a lick and she goes racing off. Ticked off, that one," Mel announced.  
  
"I taught her to drive a few weeks ago, it was just the matter that she couldn't do it that made her want to."  
  
"Hmm, imagine that, Mel. See we don't get that thrill, our whole life is made up of things you shouldn't do. Bit of a moot point for us," Beckers laughed as she finished off her drink and looked over at Lola who stood on the small stage.  
  
"Attention. Attention!" she said clapping her hands. She let her mouth quirk up when she got the attention and she struck a pose. "Now I know you all don't just come to see what a dish I am."  
  
Hoots went up in the crowd and Mel just shook his head and grinned.  
  
"And I know you all don't just come for the booze." Laughter filtered through then. "Or maybe ya do . . . I was just wondering if you all were flooding here to see our own Miss Beckers give us a little number."  
  
Roars of applause came up from the crowd as all the women and men urged Beckers on. Tommy watched as she didn't seem a bit embarrassed and instead stood hands on hips.  
  
"Getting drunk not good enough for you?" she called with a smile. She flounced over through the tight crowd, passing Lola with a touch of her hand in a faint shake. "So what shall I sing?"  
  
She stood next to an impressive piano that Tommy somehow hadn't noticed earlier but had been moving the room to dance all night.  
  
Tommy watched her as she sent him a look that made him grin broadly before she leaned over to the player and he began to tickle the keys. She looked out to her audience and raised her arms as a grand entrance as she sang in a sensually soothing tone.  
  
". . . Heaven, I'm in heaven. And my heart beats so that I can hardly see. And I seem to find to happiness I seek when we're dancing cheek to cheek."  
  
Her voice was rather melodious and sweet in the smoky speakeasy as everyone listened. Mel tapped his foot to his sister's song and Lola, hung on his shoulder.  
  
"And the cares that hung around me through the week seem to vanish like a gambler's lucky streak when we're out together dancing cheek to cheek."  
  
She pulled over a stool and hopped on to it, crossing her legs as she looked over the crowd before her eyes landed on Tommy. Her arm rose and she wrapped it around her midsection as she sang.  
  
"Dance with me . . . I want my arms about you. The charms about you will carry me through . . ."  
  
He couldn't help his grin got wider as she sang her song.  
  
"And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak . . ."  
  
And then she winked while she continued.  
  
And he about turned to a puddle. Maybe it was the slow burn of alcohol taking him over, or being here period, or Beckers herself but . . .  
  
"Cheek to cheek, cheek to cheek . . ."  
  
Mesmerized, Tommy walked over to the stool and reached out his arms, helping her down as she smirked. The piano player began playing a slow, instrumental version of a blues song, and they began swaying slowly...  
  
~*~  
  
Later, when the dawn was soon to show, Mel and Beckers announced it was time to leave and after the masses left they didn't bother to clean the mess and decided to let their weary bodies take a break. Mel and Lola left together, headed for her room in the Renlod Girl's Apartments - actually Lola was headed there, Mel was headed for the fire escape of the building to break the 'No Men' rule.  
  
Tommy offered to walk Beckers to her own small apartment and she accepted with a small smile. She had danced with him all night long and now he was escorting her home. Maybe the label of 'gentlemen' wasn't such a horrible thing to be bogged down with. Though amongst her vast experiences of life she hadn't encountered many, her brother being the most consistent of the lot - and he could be a coward most times - so such an idea of chivalry didn't seem so wonderful. Till now.  
  
The last vestiges of true darkness lingered around them as the approached the brick building with the two doors, one leading into a Shoemaker's shop, the other her second floor apartment. She unlocked the door and turned to him.  
  
Beckers was not a virginal sweetheart, she didn't brag about such a thing but she wasn't ashamed of it either, and somehow . . . She seemed a little torn as she turned to him and cocked her head to the side.  
  
"What would you say if someone . . . not quite a lady, offered you to come upstairs?"  
  
"Are you asking me?"  
  
"Not very observant are you?" Beckers quipped.  
  
"No," Tommy said quietly, stepping closer. "But I see nothing but a lady before me so your question couldn't be accurate."  
  
"Charmer," she laughed, turning to unlock the door and letting him inside.  
  
They reached the top of the steps and Tommy saw it was a spacious apartment with a large main room, a kitchenette and bedroom through the open door. Or he *would* have seen that if he hadn't been so very focused on Beckers.  
  
"I have some coff--"  
  
As she turned he swept her into a kiss, pushing her until a wall stopped any further movement. Tommy's hands went to her waist, her hips, and finally her thigh, lifting her against him. His palm smoothed its way up her leg to feel the garter holding up her stockings and he growled into her mouth.  
  
Her legs wrapped around his waist like a belt, and his hands cupped her bottom as both kissed each-other in a frenzied desperation as they made their way to her bedroom...  
  
They fell onto the bed, ignoring the sounds of the morning train not far away, ignoring the sounds of *anything*, except tasting the new experiences awakening within each-other...  
  
Suddenly, Tommy felt everything starting to swirl, and he cried out, but it was too late... he was back, in the lair, Merton and Lori observing him like Freud and his assistant...  
  
"What happened this time?" Lori asked.  
  
Quite bitter from being pulled from a moment that was so . . . Well, he was bitter.  
  
"You and Merton were getting it on."  
  
"Ew!"  
  
Ah, revenge.  
  
"Hey," Merton objected.  
  
"Well, ya were--- and, Becky... she... she was... she ran a bar in the prohibition?"  
  
"Yeah?" Merton asked, a bit impressed.  
  
"Yes, and you weren't all Mr. Bravery like before--- *she* had to throw the bums out."  
  
Merton pouted indignantly and covered for himself in front of Lori. "Maybe I was just saving my bravery for a more important time."  
  
"I'm sure."  
  
"I really *liked* that one," Tommy complained. "And when I got yanked I ... well, it wasn't a good time. But, the good news is Lucard's name never even turned up."  
  
"That is good news, but it doesn't mean he wasn't there."  
  
"So what was I like? Was I famous? I mean . . ." Lori saw Merton and Tommy's pointed looks and folded her arms. "What? You get to ask questions."  
  
"You were with me, I think you know enough," Merton nodded with pride.  
  
"Oh, so in my past life I was insane," she said earning a look.  
  
"Guys, can we focus!" Tommy asked getting their attention. "It was kind of funny... her name was Beckers---"  
  
"Like you call her now?" Lori smirked.  
  
"Well... yeah?" Tommy shrugged, looking pensive.  
  
"Intriguing," she mocked.  
  
"That's an offset--- a non-issue," he said decidedly. "What we need to worry about is *why* I keep getting sucked into the past, and... if I'm meant to be with her... and..."  
  
Tommy sighed, running a hand through his thick chestnut curls.  
  
"What's going on here, Merton?" he said quietly,  
  
"Wacky past life fun? Or . something..." Merton answered meekly at Tommy's annoyed expression.  
  
"This isn't fun . . . well, a little fun, but it's also confusing and . . ."  
  
"Hey, are you okay?" Becky interrupted as she came down the steps with a wet wash cloth. She sat on the bed next to him and bathed his face gently. "When did he wake up?"  
  
"Um, a couple of minutes ago," Lori answered from the sidelines.  
  
"You've been out for twenty minutes," Becky said as she held the cool cloth to him.  
  
"Yeah," Merton said with a hint. "Since you fainted. From not eating breakfast."  
  
It was a lame lie but when his sister came downstairs he had to think of something.  
  
Tommy smiled at her, trying to keep his emotions in check. With all of these new revelations he was almost to the wolf-out point from her hip touching his ribcage, her hand cooling and soothing his face with the cloth...  
  
"So, are you hungry?" she asked.  
  
"Hungry?" he echoed huskily, eyeing her up.  
  
"Yes... you fainted from it, so I thought maybe I could make you something?"  
  
"Food. Right. Yeah... Ahem ... A . . . Grilled cheese, tomato and bologna sandwich?"  
  
Becky nodded and went quickly up the stairs. Tommy blanched as he caught Lori and Merton's eyes upon him...  
  
"I'm hungry."  
  
"For food," Lori added unconvincingly.  
  
"Hey, I consumed liquor in that last life, maybe the effects are still--"  
  
"Oh puh-lease," Merton said. "Just remember what I said. Two years. Destiny can wait."  
  
Tommy nodded, still embarrassed.  
  
Lori smiled and Merton switched mindsets, trying to remember exactly what books he needed. There was a lot . . . he wished he knew what they were dealing with. Was it really destiny? What he found so far ruled out that Madam Goolee was some quack that got her jollies from doping people up so the options were open.  
  
A few minutes later Becky came back down and Tommy had to dive for the bed. She looked at him with a little pout and came over to sit on the bed. She got cozy next to his side and held the plate, urging him to sit up.  
  
"I want you to eat all of this, okay?"  
  
Tommy nodded and ignored the eyes rolling behind Becky. 


	7. 50s, Kisses, and Meeting the Conflict

Part 7 - Joint Go:  
  
Night came and four teenagers sat in the Lair, three trying to pretend everything was fine and one not buying it at all.  
  
Which is pretty expected when you can't go walk up the stairs without being called back for some stupid, simple thing or having someone tail you. Towards the end Becky started to leave just to test them.  
  
Now she sat eyeing her 'captors'. Merton was clicking away on the keys; Lori was flipping through a magazine - well, Lori wasn't really in on this -- and Tommy . . . Tommy was staring straight at her.  
  
Becky sighed.  
  
"All right--- what's the what here, guys?"  
  
"Uh... whatever do you mean, Sis?"  
  
"Merton, you... you and Tommy haven't let me out of your *sight* except to go to the *bathroom*, practically - and that's probably because Lori refused to follow me there. Oh, and to make Tommy a stupid sandwich hours ago!"  
  
"That I ate all of," he chimed in. "And made me feel . . . unlikely to faint."  
  
Becky gave him an odd look before Merton cleared his throat, distracting her.  
  
"You... you're exaggerating?"  
  
"No, I'm not. I would have stuck around here to look after Tommy anyway but over the last couple of hours it's become *very* clear something else is going on."  
  
"Beckers, it's... where do you wanna go?" Tommy asked her.  
  
"I'm going to sit on the porch swing," she told him, standing up.  
  
"Alone?"  
  
"Yes, Tommy, alone. I'm not five," she told him, she didn't mean to snark but when he suddenly started paying attention to her . . . well, she wished it was for her instead of some reason they wouldn't tell her about.  
  
"No... but... there are... dangerous... things out there?"  
  
"On my front porch?"  
  
"Near . . . the front porch . . . It's pretty dark out there," he got out lamely.  
  
"You and Merton are acting really weird tonight . . . Well, Merton is always weird." Becky said as her brother shrugged in agreement. "Now I am going to sit outside, on the porch, believe it or not, I am actually not afraid of things that go bump in the night."  
  
"I'm sure Tommy's glad to here that, aren't ya, Tommy?" Lori said cheekily.  
  
Becky shook her head once more. "I'm leaving."  
  
"Are... you sure you wanna go alone?"  
  
"Tommy, did you miss oxygen when you passed out?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"Look, I'll be back in a few minutes, okay? I just need... air? I'll be *fine*." she sighed, kissing him on the cheek before walking out the door -- Some opportunities you just don't pass up.  
  
Tommy flopped onto the leather easy chair and Lori made an annoyed sound. "You need to *relax*. We all do. You're going to have *me* all paranoid about this, and it's silly. She's had no one threatening her in any way, and, the only guys I know of that have made *any* kind of... 'advances'... are high-school boys? No one in their thirties?"  
  
"*Which* boys???" Merton demanded.  
  
"Well... I don't think telling you would help matters--- and, as far as I could tell, there were only about five of them I could find out about..."  
  
"Not sharing names?"  
  
"No, Tommy, go back to brooding," Lori sighed.  
  
"Listen, maybe we are being overprotective, maybe a little 'fanatic'," Merton opinioned using quotation marks. "But, really, isn't that my job? And since you are my good friends isn't that your job as well?"  
  
He seemed perfectly poised like he thought it out and it was exactly correct.  
  
"Good point, Merton. Let's go find her," Tommy nodded, getting up and heading for the door.  
  
Lori rolled her eyes; there were obviously loons that enjoyed his logic.  
  
"Actually, Tommy, you and Lori go, I'm going to stick around."  
  
"Merton, you haven't found a thing lately," Lori reminded.  
  
"You aren't going to look at that 'Chain-Mail Goth Girl' website, are you?"  
  
"Not answering that. But I may need a break from researching," Merton said going back to his chair.  
  
"What website?" he heard Lori ask before Tommy dragged her out -- and he hoped his best friend wouldn't enlighten her.  
  
Lori stopped Tommy as they were about ten feet away from the porch, as they wouldn't be noticed. They both plopped down in the grass and stared at her on the porch, feeling like stalkers themselves.  
  
Becky was stretched out on the porch-swing, looking up at the stars. Lori didn't pay all that much attention, being she was too busy trying not to laugh at Tommy's lovesick expression.  
  
Her whisper met his ears and he looked at her, irked, as she sang the soft words of 'Tommy and Becky, sittin' in a tree'.  
  
"Mature, Lor, thanks."  
  
"You're welcome, I just enjoy seeing all that hot and bothered love," she mused.  
  
"Knock it off."  
  
"Wouldn't you like to--"  
  
"SHH!" Tommy interrupted as he heard footsteps walking up.  
  
Tommy stiffened, but Lori still held him back, whispering harshly for him to "JUST WATCH???"  
  
Becky stood up and greeted the shadowy figure.  
  
"Daddy! You're home!" she smiled, giving a little hop and hugging him tightly.  
  
"How is my little girl? Good day at school?"  
  
"Oh, yeah," Becky nodded. "We learned about . . . real estate."  
  
Tommy smothered a laugh and Becky followed her father into the house.  
  
"Crafty," Lori smiled. "Come on, let's get back to the Lair."  
  
When they came in Merton was still staring at the screen.  
  
"What did you find? . . . Merton?" Lori asked her quiet friend.  
  
"I... the 1950s. Lucard re-emerged?"  
  
"What does it say?" Tommy rasped out.  
  
"Where's Becky?" Merton demanded, ignoring the question.  
  
"Upstairs with your father," Lori assured. "What did you *find*?"  
  
"Apparently, this guy... he was almost arrested for trying to seduce his student?"  
  
"Almost?"  
  
"Apparently he disappeared around the time she and her brother and some friends of theirs were 'tragically killed in a car crash'--- bad brakes?"  
  
"That sounds . . ."  
  
"Yeah," Tommy nodded. "What do we do?"  
  
"I don't know but . . . Maybe you can go back?"  
  
"What? No way. I'm not going to be comatose while this is going on!"  
  
"But you could have known where he was going, you could have some idea where to look for--"  
  
"Merton, I said NO."  
  
"We can watch her, Tommy."  
  
"Lori--"  
  
"We can, she's okay now, in fact I'll go up there right now."  
  
"Come on," Merton urged. He was at a dead end, there was no where to go, this was a by-chance, bottom of the barrel find when he stumbled onto the tiny article. He needed a bone thrown his way. "You might help her more this way."  
  
Tommy sighed and slumped onto the bed. This was getting so . . .  
  
"Return me."  
  
He felt the familiar slam and again there was music around him, but something he heard on those tapes his grandparents sent him to 'expand' his music taste, the ones marked 'Golden Oldies' . . .  
  
"Tuck?"  
  
Tommy looked over to see someone's toothy grin and greased hair, then he looked down at himself and his leather jacket.  
  
"You okay, man?"  
  
"Yeah," he said, shaking his head. "Jus' zoned out for a minute."  
  
The place around him was loud and it was a . . . soda shop?  
  
Yeah.  
  
Frankie's.  
  
Everyone hung out here . . .  
  
The patterned wallpaper was filled with posters of ice cream and burgers, the red Formica tables were covered in drinks and papers as around him everyone he knew yelled and carried on. In the corner a group of people where loudly singing along to 'Little Darlin'' from the bright jukebox and laughing at themselves as a waitress looked a little tired but mostly in good spirits as she served up food to the loud teenagers.  
  
Somehow though, through all the commotion, he heard the tinkle of the bell for the entrance. His attention fell past everything to his friend . . .  
  
Milt . . . and . . . and a trio of girls that didn't look like they belonged in this particular hang out.  
  
There was a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead. One of each--- like Petticoat Junction or somethin'... But, Tuck only noticed one. The petite brunette in the soft pink sweater and matching scarf in her hair, a cry away from the ones dancing around him in tight pants and second-skin sweaters.  
  
She wasn't the kind of girl he usually went for, not since that one time with that spoiled rich chick last summer, but she was . . . hot, and alluring with her innocent look. It was sort of like Natalie Wood but better . . . A particular song came on, one that he'd never cared for before and usually only listened to when he was in the back seat with some girl. What was it? 'You Send Me', or something --- it just wasn't his style- -- but, he went right over to her.  
  
"Dance?"  
  
She flushed prettily.  
  
"Sure..." she said with a wide-eyed smile, allowing him to lead her out to the dance floor as her brother and friends drifted off to sit down.  
  
"Yo, Miltie... who's the tootsie?" the guy who'd been talking to Tuck earlier asked him.  
  
"My kid sister, Betsy..."  
  
"And you're letting her dance wit Tuck?"  
  
"She'll be fine," Milt said, taking the cigarette from behind his ear and lighting it up. Tuck had been his best friend since they were in grade school when the little curly-haired boy caught him - and then joined him - as they drank wine Milt had stolen from his parents. Putting an arm over Sally, one of his sister's friends, he watched them dance.  
  
"You're Tuck, right?" Betsy asked softly.  
  
"Yeah, how'd you know?" Tommy smiled as he bunched up the fabric of her sweater at her back in an effort to control himself as they danced closer.  
  
"I see you around town. Milt is my brother."  
  
"You're Betsy?"  
  
"Yeah," she nodded with a smile.  
  
He grinned and shook his head. "I haven't seen you since you was eight and you got sent--"  
  
"To the Kathryn Marie School for Young Ladies."  
  
"Yeah, over in Gilbree. I remember when Milt dragged me over there to break in and see you a coupla' years ago."  
  
"And Sister Mary Elizabeth woke up and went running after you guys," she laughed. "I tried to wave from the window."  
  
"How long you been back?"  
  
"For almost a month, but I haven't seen you in school."  
  
"I know, Milt's been talking 'bout you being back. Said you'd never be allowed to hang out with him though, and . . . School's not really my thing."  
  
"Oh," she flushed, looking down with a little smile.  
  
"But, you know . . . Maybe I'll drop by tomorrow or somethin'," he said, trying for casual. It was odd, being that he never had to try before.  
  
Betsy smiled softly and Tuck led her back to the table with her girlfriends as the song ended.  
  
"Hey, Milt? Can I see you for a second?"  
  
Milt shrugged, taking his arm from Sally, and following his best friend over to the jukebox.  
  
"What? Make it fast; I wanna head up to the Point with Sally later," he informed, coolly leering over at her.  
  
"Your sister... she... I was wonderin'... she's not... seein' anyone?"  
  
"She's been at an all girls school?" Milt said pointing out the inquiry's half-wit.  
  
"Right. So... you think it would be all right... maybe if I..."  
  
"You?" Milt eyed him. "I don't know, I haven't seen you stumble over your words this much since sixth grade and Lacey Bresh. I'm scared to look down I might have to face what she did at the Winter Dance."  
  
"Milt," he said simply, indicating he just wanted an answer, not a commentary. His partner in many of his life's crimes -- including their group -- grinned at his own joke, then looked at him and shrugged.  
  
"Well... I guess... just... watch it. She *is* my kid sister, after all? Besides, she's had a bit of trouble lately---"  
  
"Trouble? Like what?" Tuck frowned.  
  
"That's why she's home. I don't think she'll end up goin' back?" he explained. "See, one of the teachers there... he made a pass at her."  
  
Tuck clenched his fists so that his knuckles were white.  
  
"Yeah, I know... look, I don't know much about it--- my Pop's lookin' to press charges. But, if that don't pan out, I figure you, me an' the boys could always make him be... regretful? As in... long term hospital stay?" Milt shrugged, as if debating the issue.  
  
Tommy nodded with sudden anger for revenge, and for a girl that he just met again after years of no contact. Glancing over his eye caught Betsy's and she gave him a tilt of her mouth before pulling on her blonde friend and whispering to her.  
  
"Lookit... we should go back to the girls?"  
  
"Yeah," Milt nodded. Tommy started to walk back over but was stopped by a hand. "Tuck. Don' treat her like the others."  
  
"She's your sis, Milt, you know I wouldn't."  
  
"I know. I'm just makin' sure."  
  
Tommy nodded again and they headed back to the table, a nervous hand coming up to smooth his hair and feeling the slick grease.  
  
"Leave," Milt said simply to one of the guys talking to the blonde.  
  
"He wasn't bothering me."  
  
"Lisa, you don't know what botherin' is about."  
  
"Stick a sock in it," she said with a puckered face like it was one of the worse cuts ever. Milt smiled and hung an arm over Sally as Lisa folded her arms.  
  
Tommy slid in next to Betsy and stretched a tentative hand over the back of her booth. He was used to fast girls, he wasn't sure what to do, but being she was Milt's sister he figured slipping a hand under the table for a little introduction wouldn't be right. And the way she looked at him . . .  
  
He settled for a hand close to her shoulders.  
  
"So, Bets."  
  
"Yeah?" she asked, fully aware of his unsure way and loving it. The boys who knew just who's sister she was hadn't exactly hounded her since her return home, not any she had interest in, but Tuck . . . he certainly peeked her interest, sent it through the roof actually.  
  
"Hey, Tuck, Milt," someone interrupted loudly as they came close to him.  
  
"What?" Tommy growled, betraying his slight approach with Betsy and causing the messenger to back up.  
  
"I jus' wanted to let you guys know we're heading up to the Puller Point, and Ray stole his brother's ID so they'll be some beers. Jus' wanted to let you guys know," he repeated sheepishly, his attempt to suck up to the leaders of the gang backfiring slightly with Tommy, but not with Milt.  
  
"On to Puller's," Milt said pushing out of the booth and dragging Sally with him.  
  
Betsy smiled excitedly at the prospect, which put ideas in Tommy's head, only to be quelled when he looked at his best friend and felt the prick of guilt. Lisa sat in the booth not quite as enthused, as Milt had done a good job of scaring off anyone from talking to her, even his *sister* got to talk to a guy!  
  
"Come on, Lisa," Milt huffed when he noticed she still sat there as Betsy and Tommy where leaving, reaching in the booth he grabbed her hand and pulled her out, bringing both girls with him.  
  
The night air was slightly brisk as they met the outdoors and Tommy led Betsy to his car instead of Milt's. With a look at his friend he saw the short nod and stopped in front of the passenger's door.  
  
"Want to ride with me?"  
  
Betsy looked at the gorgeous car before her; slick black paint with silver accents, the beveled body, with black and white trimmed leather interior.  
  
"Yes," she said immediately.  
  
**  
  
When they got to the Point they were greeted with a few rocking cars as the rest rolled in, parking and breaking out the alcohol. The ride up had been pretty quiet as Betsy fiddled with the controls, switching channels until she found songs she liked. They pulled in, a spot naturally waiting for them next to Milt's red Hot Rod.  
  
"Welcome," Milt greeted, sitting on his hood and already holding a can. He handed it to Betsy, surprising Tommy until he heard the big-brother order - "Only ONE."  
  
Betsy smiled and took a sip, wincing a little and sticking out her tongue, evidently her first taste of beer. Milt grabbed another can and tossed it to Tommy who caught it easily and cracked it, stepping back to avoid the fizz.  
  
It was a beautiful night, not very warm with the wind but not very cold either, just a crisp autumn evening. The sky was clear as it looked over the town and the moon was bright enough to light them but not to fill all the shadows provided by the woods that began next to the Point.  
  
Though groups stuck together couples were beginning to pair off and it wasn't more than fifteen minutes since they arrived Milt was leading Sally back into his car as she smiled like the good girl she was supposed to be. Lisa wrinkled her nose but shrugged, deciding that at least he'd stop bothering her for a while, as she started to chat with some guys.  
  
Betsy sipped her beer until the sips turned into gulps and she was finished. Looking over to the dark car she leaned down and snuck another out of the paper bag and grinned mischievously. Grabbing Tommy's hand and pulled them to the front of his own car, sitting against the bumper, less than four feet from the steep drop off of the cliff.  
  
She was already a little tipsy and she giggled as she opened the second beer.  
  
"I never had this before," she said. "Don't let Milt know, okay?"  
  
Tommy nodded with a grin at her display and she caught his eye, giggling and shaking her head. Yes, he was now *certain* this was her first time drinking if one can got her this buzzed.  
  
"This is so much FUN! I never get to do anything," she sighed. "My father has a list of places I'm allowed to go - A LIST! He's so lenient with Milt and yet he wraps me up like a baby just because I'm not a boy."  
  
"Is that why he sent you away?"  
  
She nodded, her eyes dimming as she looked out on the town. "My mother died when I was seven and I guess he thought sending me away was best for me."  
  
She took another sip and Tommy followed suit, feeling the bitter taste cover his tongue.  
  
"And after my teacher . . . Well, he thought that it wasn't so good after all. He's felt guilty since then and, today, when he was talking to Milt about pressing charges he looked at me and said I could go out with Milt tonight if I wanted. No more list of restrictions, for now at least," she smiled softly. "Milt was thrilled."  
  
And Tommy knew he was, Milt talked about his sister all the time and when she came home he was practically jumping around, but only in front of Tommy of course - he had a reputation to keep up. The only thing he would complain about was the fact he couldn't introduce his sister and his friend, his father hadn't wanted her to mix herself with Milt's 'crowd' even though it was acceptable for his son to hang out with whoever he pleased. But thank whomever for the feeling of guilt bestowed on her father because Betsy was here now.  
  
She sighed, washing back the bad memories and filling them with the moment as she looked to the side.  
  
"Tuck?"  
  
"Hmm?" he asked, having another drink.  
  
"Shouldn't you try to kiss me now?"  
  
"Huh?" he asked, managing to contain the liquid in his mouth fairly well.  
  
"Sally said you guys are supposed to 'make a move' up at the Point. I wasn't looking forward to that, but when I was coming up here with you the idea just got better and better."  
  
"You sure you ain't drunk?"  
  
"Phfft, maybe," she breathed. "Will you kiss me anyway?"  
  
"I don't know Bets--"  
  
He didn't get to finish because she had put down the can in her hand and took the advantage, grabbing his face and kissing him. She may have been a little intoxicated from the little under two cans but she could still kiss very, very well . . .  
  
Tommy kissed her back, and she moaned into his mouth, but when he tried to part her lips with his tongue she pulled away.  
  
"What?" he puffed out.  
  
"Nothing," she said. "I just wasn't expecting that."  
  
She smiled and leaned back in meeting his curved lips and putting her arms over his shoulders.  
  
They didn't hear the screech behind them.  
  
"Where is she?" a loud voice called desperately. "Where is she?"  
  
"Tuck? Tuck?" someone asked, tapping him, finally pulling him away from Betsy.  
  
"What?" he barked for the second time that night.  
  
"There's... an old guy yelling, goin' crazy," the guy informed.  
  
"Do I have to do everything?" Tommy snarled, getting up and bringing Betsy with him. "Where's Milt?"  
  
"Ray's getting' him."  
  
Tommy looked over to see his best friend getting out of the car, buttoning his pants.  
  
"YOU!" a man yelled at Milt, finally getting Tommy's attention as he hollered. "Where is she? Where is she?"  
  
The man was tall and dark, menacing in his appearance alone with his neat hair and disheveled suit. He was a site even more disturbing with his dismal eyes that seemed absorbed in insanity.  
  
"Mr. Lucard," Betsy whispered, but, somehow, he heard her and all his fascination transferred to her.  
  
"Ah, my love, I've been looking for you."  
  
He was crazy in that moment, and all could see it.  
  
Lucard had thought he could handle seeing her again, after . . . after last time.  
  
He hadn't meant to kill her then, she just infuriated him so, never before had he intentionally killed her, except . . . Except that first time.  
  
"I've been looking for you," he said graciously and Betsy clung to Tommy, who Lucard hadn't even noticed.  
  
She shook her head, wishing she never had to see him again. She remembered that day a little over a month ago. She was all alone in his new classroom, awaiting his arrival, she had been assigned to help him by her headmistress.  
  
And he did more that hit on her, even if she never wanted to talk about it.  
  
The start of his brief, mad descent began then. First he tried to apologize for what he did in their last life, confusing and scaring her, then he tried to purpose marriage, pleading his love as he grabbed her. His hands traveled her body, checking to see if she was real, as if she were an illusion and when Lucard had buried his face in her neck she finally managed to overcome her crippling fear and scream for help. It drew the attention of teachers close by who pulled him away from her.  
  
But it didn't matter if she was saved then, because now he had found her.  
  
"Now come with me, my Darling."  
  
"Get away from ME!" Betsy yelled.  
  
"Now, now, don't be mean," Lucard chastised.  
  
"Leave her alone," Tommy said, figuring out who the man was and approaching him as Milt did, each with grim faces.  
  
"Tuck," Betsy said, grabbing his arm.  
  
"Stay back here," he ordered.  
  
"No," she said firmly as she followed him, not wanting him to be hurt.  
  
"Look---"  
  
"Don't you start with me; I'm going." she said, tossing in a stream of yiddish for good measure.  
  
Tommy looked at Milt, confused.  
  
"You don't wanna know?" he smirked darkly as his eyes never left Lucard ...  
  
But Betsy stopped cold, fear striking her as she met the end of Tommy's car, her bravery fleeing as she stared at her History teacher, Mr. Erik Lucard, standing there big as life.  
  
"Darling..."  
  
"Why can't you leave me ALONE?!" she shouted as everyone watched.  
  
"So that's him?" Milt confirmed with a disastrous tone.  
  
"That's him," she whispered.  
  
And, that was all it took. With every bit of strength in him, Tommy grabbed the slimy jerk and punched him a couple of good ones. The man fought back, but in his insanity he was no match for the strong boy who pretty much brawled on a daily basis...  
  
Milt came up right behind him, landing a perfect fist in his face and enjoying the crunch of Lucard's nose breaking. He fell to the ground and both of them kicked him, his face, his ribs and stomach, hoping with each blow that they made the damage a little more long lasting.  
  
It seemed like forever before the both backed away, breathless from the exertion.  
  
"If you *ever*---"  
  
"You, boy, will regret this. You have before, you will again," Lucard winced as he struggled up, falling over and over again before he managed to crawl to his car.  
  
"You been sneakin' pills, old man?" Tommy yelled, backing up until Betsy's hands encircled his waist and Milt was reaching for a rag Lisa was holding out to wipe Lucard's blood from his fist.  
  
"I am telling you--- you will rue the day you heard my name, as you always do," he hollered - though with his injuries it wasn't a very loud one - as he peeled away, slinging gravel.  
  
Milt put an arm around his sister, who was starting to shiver, and, as Tommy watched, the image began to swirl...  
  
"What happened?" Merton said looming over him.  
  
"What? No 'who was I' questions?"  
  
"I'm certain I was brave and valiant, now did you get any more information?"  
  
"No. But I saw Lucard this time, and I got to kick his ass. Bonus there."  
  
"Yeah, that's really helping in *this* life."  
  
"Still feels good. You beat him up too after he hit on your sister."  
  
"O-kay. That does garner a *little* joy."  
  
Lori rolled her eyes. "Boys..."  
  
"Did he say anything... odd? A clue of some sort, perhaps? Anything at *all*?"  
  
"He said that I would... 'Rue the day I heard his name'?" Tommy said slowly, pensively. "That... I had before, and would again?"  
  
"Okay . . . anything that wasn't ALREADY CLEAR!?"  
  
"Sorry, Merton," Tommy argued. "But I was a little busy kicking his -- Lori? Aren't you supposed to be upstairs with Betsy -- I mean Becky!"  
  
"Uh-oh, that doesn't sound too good."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Let me guess, 'Betsy' was one of her past lives? Tommy, you're confusing your then with your now. And Becky's on the phone, her mother called from Britain."  
  
"It was a slip of the tongue."  
  
"Yuh-huh... whatever, but... you're *Tommy*. She's *Becky*. Re-mem-ber?" Lori said patronizingly.  
  
"Look, Lori, this is draining enough?"  
  
"Tommy, you're obsessing, and, I guess we haven't been very helpful, but, Becky's *fine*. She is upstairs, talking with her mother on the phone, and her father is in there *with* her in an attempt to act like he's not trying to tell if Merton's mom is asking about him," she said in reference to Al's frequent efforts. "Becky. Is. *Fine*."  
  
He scrubbed a hand over his face as he told them, "We have to find this Lucard guy before he finds her. Before anything happens. Like, what if he finds her and---"  
  
"MERTON!" Becky's voice yelled.  
  
All three were startled and froze for a second - well, Lori and Merton froze -- Tommy was already up the steps.  
  
"Woah there," Becky said with her plaintive 'you are all nuts' look. The very same she'd been giving them all day and night.  
  
"Mom just wants to talk to Merton," she said handing the phone to her brother as he came up behind Tommy.  
  
"Thanks for the heart attack," Merton said with a face as he grabbed the phone away.  
  
"Whatever. I already said bye to mom and I'm hungry, Dad said we could get pizza. Give me a ride, Tommy?"  
  
"Sure, come on..." Tommy said, relieved, leading her out the door...  
  
Meanwhile, Al stuck his head down the stairs.  
  
"Mert, I've gotta go out; I should be back before midnight."  
  
"Something wrong?"  
  
"Ahhh... no? But, Tina called my cell phone."  
  
Merton made a face but nodded. He didn't know why his parents were like this, they would try and see if they talked about each other, like crushing teenagers, then to deny the whole thing they'd rush out afterwards -- his father with some woman, and his mother to her weird, 1960s obsessed boyfriend. Why they got a divorce he'd never know . . . Wait, they argued all the time, yeah, he remembered now.  
  
"See ya later, Pops."  
  
"Night, son. Have fun." he smiled, ruffling Merton's hair and smiling at the pretty blonde his son was hanging out with as he headed out.  
  
After the roar of the Caddy rolled away into the night, it felt suddenly very cold and quiet. Too quiet... Lori rubbed her arms reflexively, trying to quiet the goosebumps as Merton said good-bye to his mother.  
  
~*~  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
"It'll be ready in another ten minutes," Becky said, coming out of the pizza shop and sitting on the bench they parked near. She had told Tommy he could wait in the truck but he soon realized that anything with wheels and an engine pretty much turned his mind to his last life experience. "So... we just sit out here and wait."  
  
"Uh-huh... guess so..." Tommy nodded, eyeing her up. "Beckers... I..." he flushed.  
  
"What? What's wrong?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing... I just... did anyone ever tell you how... perfect you look? Are?"  
  
Becky smiled a dazzling smile.  
  
"Perfect? I think there are plenty of people who would differ with you."  
  
"Doesn't matter--- can't change my opinion."  
  
Becky blushed but the smile wouldn't leave her face and her eyes shined.  
  
"I..." Tommy tried to speak again, but he suddenly leant down, meeting her soft lips in a gentle yet crushing kiss...  
  
**  
  
"I'll get it!" Lori yelled, putting the rest of a cracker in her mouth as she rushed the front door. "Yes?"  
  
A man stood with his back to her and when he turned to face her she stepped back reflexively, her breath catching. He seemed . . . sinister. But she shook her head at that; Tommy and Merton were having a bad effect on her. "I'm looking for a . . . Rebecca Dingle?"  
  
That's what clicked for Lori, that this man *was* a menace. And with another shiver she realized she was staring into the face of Erik Lucard, the man who had possibly killed them all countless times.  
  
For a moment she felt the fear, the knowledge that he *had* defeated her before, even if it wasn't really her personality it was her . . . what? Her soul? And he had ended it before.  
  
The emotion bubbled to the surface and she tried to slam the door, turning to run back to Merton down the hall.  
  
"MER-" she fell to the ground with a loud thud. He had reached out and squeezed her shoulder; putting pressure on one particular spot and making her lose consciousness.  
  
Merton rushed into the hallway and saw Lori laying there first, then he noticed Lucard.  
  
He didn't have time to turn before the man descended on him.  
  
**  
  
Tommy held her lips a little longer than last time before he pulled away with a grin. They had been kissing away minutes and he was finding he really, REALLY enjoyed it. If the way Becky's eyes took a while to open he guessed she liked it too.  
  
"Wow..." she whispered.  
  
Tommy smiled.  
  
"Wow covers it nicely..."  
  
"Where... did that come from?"  
  
"I've... well... I think I was born for that?"  
  
Becky rolled her eyes at him, but, from the way she'd felt by just kissing him, she couldn't deny this...  
  
"Kiss me again?" she smiled.  
  
Tommy leant forward to kiss her again, but, seconds after his lips touched hers, he felt a bit of a problem--- paws starting to sprout.  
  
"Ahhh... um... pizza! We should... go get the pizza?" he asked, amazed he'd lasted that long. The stress he was feeling playing a factor in letting all his concentration linger.  
  
"Kay..." Becky frowned at the sudden change in mood.  
  
"Awww, don't give me that look? I just... don't wanna go mauling you here? You... deserve better?"  
  
Becky smiled at him and stood.  
  
"Calm yourself, and I'll go get the food." she said, blowing him a kiss before going inside...  
  
~*~  
  
When they got back to the Lair, they found Lori and Merton unconscious and tied, back-to-back, in chairs.  
  
"Oh my God..."  
  
"Merton? Lori?" Tommy yelled, worry was soaking his voice as he went to them.  
  
"They'll be out for a while longer," a voice said.  
  
Becky spun so quickly she dropped the pizza box to the ground and backed up into Tommy.  
  
"Who are you?" she asked in a shaky voice. "And what did you do to them!?"  
  
"They'll be fine," he said as he stepped out from the shadows, his mood growing soft and sentimental. "And you know me my love, we've been fated for so many past lifetimes."  
  
"Not really," Tommy said, drawing Becky back with a firm hand.  
  
"You. Still." Lucard voice was low and his eyes burned. "Every time you've ruined it! A simple *boy* each time! Even when I cared for you there was always something, something that made me want to snap your NECK!"  
  
"Tommy... what's he *talking* about???" Becky asked in a tremulous tone.  
  
"Shhh... go untie them; get them upstairs? I'll handle this."  
  
"Oh, yes... handle this, will you?" he smiled before a rage. "She's not *YOURS*! Once you *realize* that---"  
  
"She's not property! She's... I love her! And, you stay *away* from her!"  
  
Becky's jaw dropped in shock.  
  
Tommy... *loved* her?  
  
When did THAT happen?  
  
"You don't understand anything... even when I tried teaching you---"  
  
"You said that before; what did you mean, that you once cared for me?" Tommy spat.  
  
Lucard slow smirk began and he straightened his long brown suit jacket that topped off his perfectly put-together clothing.  
  
"You, the painful thorn in my side ... you were once my Godson; I raised you from the age of seven. It was around the twenties when it all came to a head," he chuckled as he stepped forward a spot and leaned in. "I kept you under thumb then. I raised you to be the most perfect gentlemen I could produce ..."  
  
"... and she ran a local dive with her brother," Tommy added quietly, completing the thought.  
  
"You know, then?" he questioned, seemingly amused.  
  
"I know most, if not all, by now. See that's the difference in this life, Lucard. Well, that and..." With a little growling noise, he fully wolfed and faced the man who'd been his rival through the ages. "This, I think, could be the defining difference to end it?" 


	8. Fighting Lucard

Part 8 - Joint chapter! :  
  
"That's something new," Lucard said with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"NEW? I . . ." Becky looked at him with wide eyes and he met them with something akin to shame and sorrow, but also urgency.  
  
"I'll explain later, just untie them and try to get out of here," he urged. "Please, Becky."  
  
She backed away even more, hitting against the chair her brother was tied to and finally listening amongst the static in her mind and trying to work the knot.  
  
Tommy turned back to Lucard and gave a feral growl.  
  
"Under all that you're still just a boy."  
  
"One you underestimated. Remember the 1950s? The Point? The fist that crashed into your mouth?"  
  
"I learned from my mistakes. And do you think I've lived this long without learning a few tricks? I was sick then, heartsick over finally seeing my beloved and too out of my mind to tangle with a common punk while in that state," Lucard answered haughtily, as if he was perfectly sane now.  
  
"I'm not a 'boy', she isn't your 'beloved', and now that you're feeling a little more energized let's see how this turns out," Tommy challenged with pure primal tones. Behind him Becky shook Merton's shoulders and begged him to awaken without much response.  
  
"Merton, *please*..." she begged in a tearful whisper.  
  
She didn't know what was going on; Tommy being a werewolf -- that she could almost handle. Sure, it was a shock, but he was still Tommy, and living in Pleasantville weird things weren't so uncommon, even from people you know. This guy, though... even though this was the first time she'd laid eyes upon him, he petrified her to her very core...  
  
"Look here, wolf-boy---"  
  
"I *hate* that, you know."  
  
Lucard rolled his eyes.  
  
"I don't give a damn *what* you like or dislike---"  
  
But, the older man was caught off-guard as Tommy pinned him to the wall by his throat!  
  
Lucard turned several different shades as he struggled and tugged and clawed at the massive paw around his throat, but to no avail...  
  
"It'd do you good to listen, old man."  
  
"Stupid, stupid . . ."  
  
Tommy felt the pain explode like needles shoving into his chest right before he found himself kerning across the room until he ended up on the floor, dewolfing as his head lulled to the side, his eyes shut.  
  
"Like I said before, I haven't survived this long without a few tricks," Lucard repeated annoyingly as he flexed his hand from which the power came.  
  
"TOMMY!" Becky was torn between leaving Merton and Lori and going to help him. But Merton and Lori were breathing, and she had no idea if Tommy was.  
  
She rushed over, scraping her knees somehow as she landed so hard next to him and held his face.  
  
"Tommy? TOMMY?"  
  
"Tommy, Trapper, Tuck," Lucard ranted darkly. "Stop saying his name! When I killed him, every time, even when you were about to die -- it was ALWAYS HIS NAME!"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Becky cried.  
  
"What I am talking about, my Love, is destiny. Our destiny." His eyes glinted and like a snake they peered at her as if she was about to be viciously attacked, but he just stood there with a sneer.  
  
"*We* don't have a destiny, Freako!" she yelled with one of her random insults as she put her attention back on Tommy. She whispered his name, leaning close to his face and felt a burst of relief when she felt his breath fan on her skin.  
  
Becky's head fell to his chest.  
  
"You're alive... you're alive..." she sobbed.  
  
"I'm here..." Tommy wheezed, pulling himself up with a wince, wrapping his arms protectively around her. "You're safe..."  
  
"You love him so much?!" Lucard spat with all the venom in his being. " . . . Then you'll let go of him, if you want him to live."  
  
Becky looked up with tearful, frightened eyes.  
  
"You heard me. You come with me now, or he dies, you all will *die*. But if you come, willingly, you can end this," he seemed as if it was so simple, before the complication of it all clouded his face and his mouth twisted in anger, remembering the past. "If you weren't such a stubborn, willful little harlott..."  
  
Becky looked away as the poison of his words slapped -- and scared -- her. At her reaction Tommy's grip increased on her and he wolfed again, growing lowly.  
  
"Just... come to me now, and he will live--- you can see he cannot defeat me, despite his efforts. We'll go away. Together. Happy. As meant to *be*."  
  
Becky looked at him, fright filling her, making her want to turn to Tommy and when she did . . . It caught her, from the base of her spine to her collarbone, it seized her up and made her breath disappear . . .  
  
"I can't leave him," she said shaking her head.  
  
"WHY?" he bellowed, "You were suppose to be MINE! I had claim on you! Over and over he interrupted us, he was our downfall to overcome!"  
  
Lucard felt himself losing control, much like that night Tommy had mentioned. Years of chasing her had slowly driven his obsession, eating away at his mind. After he saw to it that they lost control of the car they were in that night in '57 or 58, it was still days later before he slowly began to regain some semblance of sanity . . . but not enough. As he ranted Tommy stood, carefully bringing Becky with him and moving back as Lucard moved forward.  
  
"Why is it him? He was just a nuisance, the Cook's son I kept for labor, a STABLE BOY, hardly befitting you. My dear, my Love."  
  
In the corner of his eye Tommy caught Merton coming to, struggling with consciousness. Distracted, Tommy's grip wasn't as tight and when Lucard became frustrated and reached out he pulled Becky forward before Tommy caught her waist, trying to hold on as Lucard held her arms.  
  
"Stupid, wanton little *slut*!" he yelled taking one hand away and giving some distance as Tommy pulled her back, but it only gave him more room to backhand her so hard her neck hurt as it whipped to the side. And suddenly, as she turned back, falling into Lucard's eyes, she was spun around to instead lock with Tommy's.  
  
The combination was a trigger . . .  
  
She tried to breathe but she couldn't, she felt like she was falling and like she would never reach the ground, but she did and she felt the impact as her back slammed into it.  
  
But it wasn't the ground, and when she opened her eyes she saw Tom . . .Tate. Tate was smiling at her as they sat across from each other in the field she loved; the one with the grass that was taller than them when they were like sitting like this. Looking down she saw she wasn't wearing any clothing and neither was he as they felt the warmth of the sun soaking into them. And she began to laugh, forgetting her impending marriage, her pain, her loneliness and heartbreak when she was away from him.  
  
"I love to hear the sound of your laughter," he told her honestly, the small grin holding on his lips.  
  
"I love you, Tate," she said as she leaned over to bring her smiling lips against him, intentionally knocking them over.  
  
And then it was different; she blinked and felt the collision once more before opening her eyes, her eyebrow naturally quirking as she looked at the man at her side.  
  
"You look very lovely this evenin'," Tanner told her in the Southern accent that made her nod and realize why her brother did most of the talking while he introduced the handsome stranger to everyone.  
  
"You flatter me, Sir," she said easily before taking a seat and nodding to the place next to her. He took her hint and slowly descended onto the cushioned bench. Everything was velvet, velvet chairs, couches and thick curtains favored the room they were in, just a little place to slip away from everyone. They could hardly even hear the party from in here and it had surprised Tanner when she had led him away.  
  
"I must ask, did you lead me here for the kiss I'm about to bestow?" he asked with a sly grin.  
  
"How can you say such things? Not very respectable of you, Sir," she said, though the curve of her lips deceived her aghast words. She allowed a small silence before she sighed. "I suppose you may kiss me . . . simply because of your handsome nature, it couldn't very well be more when proper gentlemen wish to court me, you do understand."  
  
"Quite well," he managed as he tipped toward her.  
  
She felt the incredible rush of anticipation as she closed her eyes, leaning in, but before their lips touched she felt the sweep and she found herself gasping among the dust kicked up around her. Her face was wet and filthy from the tears and dirt and her chest tightened while her lungs burned.  
  
"NO! YOU CAN'T!" she screamed as she saw the noose around Trapper's neck. His curly hair was wild and he was beaten, filthy, with his hands bound behind him.  
  
"How could you say such things?" the Sheriff asked. Sheriff Lucard who seemed too evil to be on the side of good, Mr. Lucard whose cultured voice seemed unfitting with the hateful words he used to condemn Trapper to the crowd.  
  
"Please!" she begged. "I LOVE HIM!"  
  
"Love him, how could you? He killed your mother and your brother," he berated.  
  
"He didn't - COULDN'T!"  
  
But it was clear nothing she said would change the outcome. Clear as - before Trapper could even defend himself -- Lucard pulled the recently made, three-foot long trigger, dropping the plank out from under him.  
  
She screamed his name and rushed the gallows, she knew Trapper didn't do it and as he choked she saw Lucard smile . . . and knew who the real killer was. She tried to tell everyone it wasn't him as she continued to climb on the wood, she didn't see when the deputy pulled his pistol, she didn't see Lucard object and try to pull it away, and she didn't feel the timber as she fell onto it. She just felt the burn of the bullet in her gut, and just saw Trapper's gasping, red, crying face as he looked at her. Trying to save her even though her couldn't save himself.  
  
Each trying to mouth the words, 'I love you'.  
  
Then again, blessedly, she was pulled away.  
  
She screamed and her whole body jerked, jumping into Tommy's arms and she looked around in a panic, seeing she was herself once again. The Lair was a beautifully welcome sight and all she wanted to do is hold on to Tommy, absorb him and not remember his choking face.  
  
Becky rocked in his arms, frightened as she clung to him.  
  
"You're back, I knew I couldn't lose you again," Lucard babbled in a crazed pitch from her side as he tried to touch her.  
  
"NO!" she scooted away from his seeking hand and only glanced at his hideous face, seeing the man that killed Tommy, now somehow marred by a gash on his face. She didn't stop to wonder what had happened while she'd was out, she just clung to the strong form she felt a pull for. "You can't take him away again, you can't do that . . . I love you, Tommy, I Iove you, I love you, I love you."  
  
Rage filled Lucard and he howled, trying to grab Becky and pull her away.  
  
"Leave her alone!" Merton yelled trying to grab Lucard. Through her tears she saw her brother and tried to wonder how he got free, or even when he woke up, but she couldn't. What was happening was too confusing and she buried her face in Tommy's chest again as Tommy threw an arm out while the other held her. His nails struck blindly at Lucard, catching him again as he had done before when he was trying to protect an unconsciousness Becky and leaving bloody marks.  
  
Lucard turned to try and hit Merton but Tommy stuck his foot out, tripping the man to the ground. Struggling up Tommy led Becky to the bed and sat her down, but as he tried to pull away she held him.  
  
"Becky, I have to go fight him."  
  
"No, Tommy, don't."  
  
He leaned down grabbing his hands and holding them as he whispered, "I have to, he'll never bother us again. Never."  
  
She looked at him, seeing his sincerity and she nodded, letting go.  
  
Tommy jumped back in as Merton tried to kick Lucard away, catching him in the mouth. Tommy grabbed Lucard up, forcing him against the wall again. Merton raced over to the desk while they were distracted and began looking for something.  
  
"Where was this fire when I was raising you?" Lucard laughed. "Always the perfect, meek boy then, under my thumb. But still you found each other. I was right in my plan, you flushed her out . . . You just did it when I wasn't looking."  
  
He brought up his hand, once again to use the strong energy he had saved for years, most of it depleted after the night he forced the black, prideful car off the road. The night he slashed the red, shining car, insuring all of them would be in one vehicle, insuring that all of them would go down for the betrayal he felt was thrust on him. Tommy grabbed his hand, pushing it back down while using one paw to hold his throat and, finally, Lori began to stir.  
  
Merton tossed through his desk, looking for what he had been searching for along side the trail of their past lives. He knew there were a number of spells Lucard could have used to make his longevity possible all these years and because of that Merton had to find a cure all - and couldn't. But now, after seeing Lucard display a few key powers, it helped him narrow it down to something he found along the way. Merton had made sure he kept it, telling himself to be sure that he put it somewhere for safe keeping. And he did . . . But now he seemed to have misplaced it, making a little squeak he dug through more papers.  
  
"I was so sad to kill you that time, after raising you all those years, but when you went against me! You had thought I refused your choice to marry her because of our position in SOCIETY! You usually were a bit slow to things," Lucard taunted. "And you headed out after her . . ."  
  
He managed to move his head slightly to see Becky before he spoke in slightly garbled words.  
  
"I've searched centuries for you, my Love. And each time *he* intruded. And each time . . ." he looked back to Tommy and smiled. "The knife was laying on the dining room table that day . . . One. Clean. Slice."  
  
"STOP!" Becky yelled. She didn't want to hear this, didn't want to know all the times he had killed him. "You can't do it again! I LOVE HIM!"  
  
"Don't worry," Tommy called to her, trying to comfort her.  
  
"Yes, don't worry. I suppose he told you that somewhere along the way over the secret months you two were together then. And after I finished with him, after I found out where you were . . . You refused me, you could not have just accepted it, you just kept asking for *him*," Lucard spat bitterly. "I hadn't meant to wrap my hands around your neck . . . I truly didn't, I never . . . not after that first time in Italy when your lying, whoring name was Belisima. I didn't want to do that again."  
  
His madness hit him and, in his insanity, a powerful energy escaped the hand Tommy gripped, searing the floor where it harmlessly hit.  
  
"Why did you have to be such a trollop?! Even when you were sweet, even when I secured your father's permission, with*OUT* the help of your meddling cousin . . . you still let him taint you! And you were so timid," he denounced, slamming his head into the wall, as if trying to block out the imagines.  
  
"This time though. This time it can be different. He hasn't touched you yet -- couldn't have . . ."  
  
He seemed to be losing his grip, what little he had after all these years of losing her over and over again . . . killing her over and over again . . .  
  
"WHY?!" he raged as Merton, unnoticed by the loud display, retrieved the paper he was looking for and went to hold it up.  
  
Only to have if fly from his hand and slip under the dresser.  
  
Tired of Lucard's ramblings Tommy ripped him from the wall and punched him hard, sending him across the room before following him.  
  
Lori watched it all, struggling against the ropes and as she tried to get Becky's attention.  
  
"Beck, Becky! Help me! Untie me!" Becky shook her dark hair and grasped at the bed. "Please, I--"  
  
Becky looked up, determined to calm herself down. Squeezing her eyes tightly she breathed in a big sigh and forced herself off the bed, racing over to Lori to try and untie her - but she turned to stone halfway across the floor when Tommy went flying past her and Lucard stood, laughing.  
  
"My, Dear, I am going to kill him. This time I won't let you go."  
  
But she ignored him, walking the few feet to drop to Tommy's side as he struggled up and Merton hit the floor to try and retrieve the paper.  
  
"WHY???!!!" Lucard demanded again. "WHY must you be such a doxie!? You could've had the best of everything, and you want to slum!"  
  
Becky tilted her chin defiantly. Enough was enough, he wouldn't hurt them anymore . . . Becky felt the anger, so enraging she couldn't even manage English --- a habit of bad temper she'd picked up from Al...  
  
"Il fatto che ho scelto lui attraverso le età non PROVA che L'È ama? Che SIAMO SIGNIFICATI per essere? E, che voi ed io couldn't?.. MAI?"  
  
"No! No, no, NO!" Lucard screeched. "Just because you were stupid and chose him does NOT mean you were meant to be! It means you had no TASTE and were badly INFLUENCED! But, see, this time is different... we CAN be together... you're still pure..."  
  
"Not for you!" she yelled. Tommy stood startled at her courage. "Never for you! From the beginning! Your obsession overcame you! It wasn't love, I love Tommy . . . You just make me sick."  
  
"DOXIE!" he lashed out, lurching forward but Tommy pulled her firmly against him. "I did love you and you didn't want love, you wanted slime! Every time you struggled against me, and our love, as if he was your destined instead of me . . ."  
  
Merton clutched the paper between his fingers and pulled it out, rising to see the confrontation and Lori struggling to free herself.  
  
Becky turned to Tommy and stared into his still wolfed-out face. His eyes were holding love and pride for her bravery.  
  
She leaned up, kissing him. Nothing in that moment was more important, after everything, being with him made it complete, made it whole. And Lucard looked on with silent madness and fury.  
  
"Next time will be better," he vowed as he glanced beside him at the old, heavy ax Merton had. Wrapping his hand around it and bring it against his chest he repeated it again. "Next time."  
  
"NO!" Lori shouted as Lucard rushed them.  
  
"FERMATA!" Merton yelled, reading from the paper.  
  
Suddenly Lucard froze, his unbroken arm raised with the ax, and his body unable to move.  
  
Tommy and Becky pulled away from each other, turning to see their frozen tormentor.  
  
"Wha... what now?"  
  
"Well, you two have earned this. You should do it." Merton said, handing her the paper.  
  
Becky stood next to Tommy and clearly read off the paper.  
  
"Le ceneri alle ceneri."  
  
"Dust to dust." Tommy finished, completing the old saying.  
  
" . . . That didn't work," Lori observed, seeing Lucard still standing over them.  
  
Slowly extending her arm she cautiously touched his arm gasping when he started to dissolve. Tommy reached out, pulling her back against him quickly as Lucard's body began to fall apart and the heavy ax clattered to the ground as an instant flame burst out.  
  
And then was there was simply a pile of ashes, until they started to fade.  
  
Then there was nothing.  
  
He was gone after hundreds of years of pain, vanishing all in the span of a few seconds...  
  
"It's over," Becky whispered staring at carpet as Tommy tightened his hold on her, losing his wolf face. "Now that it's over . . . What was it?"  
  
"Something that had been coming for a long time," Merton said quietly.  
  
"Why? . . . How did you know to have that spell?" she asked her brother.  
  
"Well, Becky. There was this fortune teller . . ." Tommy began wearily as Merton stood behind him, and Lori stayed where she was, waiting for the moment when it was okay to clear her throat and let them know she was still tied to the chair.  
  
The End. 


	9. Epilogue Tying it up Nicely

Epilogue  
  
Becky sat in the truck as Tommy drove to the fortuneteller's. She didn't know if this was a good thing or not but she did know this was where the clues began, where Tommy been showed they had been destined through time, and that a man had been stalking her through the ages. It'd been almost two months since the night Lucard had come to claim her, since she found out Tommy loved her, and she loved him. Since she saw the loves they shared . . . and almost lost Tommy.  
  
She tightened her grip and her destined looked at her, giving her an encouraging eye and lifting her hand to place a smiling kiss on her knuckles.  
  
Becky winked and smiled, her skin had returned to it's natural shade, the bruises Lucard created gone, and explained to her father as a mugging - one she spoke up to say Tommy save her from, with a little curve of her lips.  
  
"Ready to have your fortune told?" Tommy chuckled as his hand gripped hers.  
  
"I don't know if I can handle any new information."  
  
"But of course you have to meet her."  
  
"Of course," Becky smiled as they pulled in front of the shop. She'd wanted to rush out and meet Madam Goolee right away once the story was explained, then she realized all she really wanted to do was crawl in bed next to Tommy and sleep with their arms around each other.  
  
When they entered the shop through beaded curtains, Madam Goolee smiled.  
  
"Ah, you haf broken the curse..." she smiled.  
  
"Apparently. But, you knew that, huh?"  
  
"I knew there was hope, and I had faith in you. It was time."  
  
"I'll say..." Tommy said, tightening his hold on Becky's hand.  
  
"Ah, sit ... have some tea."  
  
"From what you and Merton told me... is it safe?"  
  
"Very. SIT!" Madam Goolee ordered.  
  
"Pushy aren't you," Becky said taking a seat before Tommy sat across from her.  
  
"Drink," she said, sliding the tea over.  
  
Tommy watched as she took a tentative sip.  
  
"Not seeing funky colors," she soothed him as she continued to drink. Each sharing smiles at their new -- or was that old? -- relationship.  
  
Becky suddenly felt funny--- a detached feeling, as if she were queasy or suspended, but not quite slammed out of her body as she had been before.  
  
She suddenly looked down to see that she was in a hospital room, nursing a baby in a little blue blanket. He had dark, curly hair, and was looking up at her with Tommy's eyes, opening and closing in a sleepy little symphony. Tommy came from her side, seeming a couple of years older, nuzzling her hair and she had nothing to do but sigh, feeling incredible contentment. And, just as quickly as the vision had come, it was gone, and there were Tommy and Madam Goolee staring at her...  
  
"Beckers? Are you okay? What did you see?"  
  
"I'm sticking to coffee," she said pushing the cup away with a smile. Madam Goolee caught her eye and gave an approving nod, knowing what she had witnessed.  
  
"What did you see?" Tommy asked again, excited that she had experienced something.  
  
Becky winked teasingly as she stood.  
  
"I saw . . . us . . ." she said, waving at Madam Goolee and sashaying back to the truck.  
  
"Madam---"  
  
"Don't ask--- it is one that you will see for yourself as it comes. You have much time to wait."  
  
Tommy nodded, perplexed, but followed Becky out to the truck.  
  
"So... we have the rest of the day ahead of us..." he smirked suggestively.  
  
"Any ideas?"  
  
"You can tell me what you saw," he answered curiously.  
  
Becky laughed and settled back a little. "Let's just say . . . you saw the past and I got a little look at the future . . . In the mean time, let's not try to rush the results, a little trip to the store would be a good start. It got me thinking."  
  
"For?" Tommy asked.  
  
"The next phase," Becky sighed teasingly as she slid across the seat, holding the back of his head and settling a warm hand on his thigh, and bringing him in for a heated kiss.  
  
Sliding back across the seat the little turn of her lips showed what she had been thinking about, and the decision she had made a little more than a week ago. Crossing her legs she let her skirt hitch a little as Tommy's hand turned into a paw and he eagerly started the car. Becky smiled; sinking in the seat happily and holding his paw, silently giving thanks for the tip off.  
  
Maybe when it happened a few years down the road they would name him Goolee . . .  
  
The End. 


End file.
